Australia has made a solid start in the semi-final against India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, reaching 63/2 in 10 overs after choosing to bat first in Dubai. Steven Smith remains unbeaten on 17, while Marnus Labuschagne has just come to the crease with 1. The early dismissal of Travis Head, who scored a quickfire 39 off 33 balls, has slightly slowed Australia’s momentum. Head was caught out by India’s Varun Chakravarthy, who struck in his very first over.
For India, Mohammad Shami took the first wicket, removing Cooper Connolly for a duck. India’s spinners are expected to play a pivotal role on a Dubai pitch that has historically favored slow bowlers, especially in the middle overs. Varun Chakravarthy has been especially impressive, conceding just 5 runs while picking up the crucial wicket of Head. Axar Patel has also bowled an economical over, giving away only 5 runs.
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This semi-final match comes as a rematch of the ICC World Cup 2023 final, where Australia triumphed over India. With the memory of that defeat fresh, India will look to turn the tables and secure a place in the Champions Trophy final. The Indian bowlers will be keen to maintain pressure on the Australians, hoping to restrict them to a manageable total in challenging conditions.
The Dubai International Stadium has been known for its low-scoring matches, where spinners often hold the key. India’s bowlers have thrived on this pitch throughout the tournament, and they’ll be relying on their slow bowlers to tighten the grip on Australia as the game progresses. With the conditions favoring India’s spin attack, the match promises to be a thrilling contest between two cricketing giants.
