The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has reached its semifinal stage, with India set to face Australia in the first semifinal on March 4, 2025. The match will be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, starting at 02:00 PM
Match Insights:
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India’s Performance: India enters the semifinal with an unbeaten record in the tournament. Their spin bowlers, particularly Varun Chakravarthy, have been instrumental in their success, exploiting the spin-friendly conditions in Dubai.
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Australia’s Challenges: Australia has been dealing with injuries to key players, notably leading pacer Pat Cummins. Despite these setbacks, captain Steve Smith has led the team admirably, focusing on strategies to counter India’s spin threat.
Venue Advantage:
India has played all its matches in Dubai due to political tensions preventing travel to Pakistan. This consistent venue has allowed them to adapt well to the conditions, potentially offering an advantage over Australia, who have had to travel between venues.
Squad Updates:
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal between India and Australia is set to take place on March 4, 2025, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Here are the full squads for both teams, along with key details:
India Squad:
| Player | Role | Age | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma (c) | Top-order Batter | 37 | Right-hand | Right-arm Offbreak |
| Shubman Gill (vc) | Opening Batter | 25 | Right-hand | Right-arm Offbreak |
| Virat Kohli | Top-order Batter | 36 | Right-hand | Right-arm Medium |
| Shreyas Iyer | Middle-order Batter | 30 | Right-hand | Right-arm Legbreak |
| KL Rahul | Wicketkeeper Batter | 32 | Right-hand | — |
| Hardik Pandya | Allrounder | 31 | Right-hand | Right-arm Medium Fast |
| Axar Patel | Bowling Allrounder | 31 | Left-hand | Slow Left-arm Orthodox |
| Washington Sundar | Bowling Allrounder | 25 | Left-hand | Right-arm Offbreak |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Bowler | 30 | Left-hand | Left-arm Chinaman |
| Mohammed Shami | Bowler | 34 | Right-hand | Right-arm Fast |
| Arshdeep Singh | Bowler | 26 | Left-hand | Left-arm Medium Fast |
| Varun Chakravarthy | Bowler | 33 | Right-hand | Right-arm Legbreak |
| Rishabh Pant | Wicketkeeper Batter | 27 | Left-hand | — |
| Ravindra Jadeja | Allrounder | 36 | Left-hand | Slow Left-arm Orthodox |
| Harshit Rana | Bowler | 24 | Right-hand | Right-arm Fast |
Key Details:
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Rohit Sharma (c): Veteran opener known for his elegant stroke play and leadership skills.
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Shubman Gill (vc): Promising young opener with a solid technique; serves as vice-captain.
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Virat Kohli: Experienced top-order batsman with numerous records to his name.
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Rishabh Pant: Dynamic wicketkeeper-batsman known for his aggressive batting style.
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Ravindra Jadeja: Allrounder offering valuable contributions with both bat and ball, especially in spin-friendly conditions.
Australia Squad:
| Player | Role | Age | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steven Smith (c) | Top-order Batter | 35 | Right-hand | Right-arm Legbreak |
| Alex Carey | Wicketkeeper Batter | 33 | Left-hand | — |
| Jake Fraser-McGurk | Batter | 22 | Right-hand | Right-arm Legbreak |
| Travis Head | Top-order Batter | 31 | Left-hand | Right-arm Offbreak |
| Josh Inglis | Wicketkeeper Batter | 29 | Right-hand | — |
| Marnus Labuschagne | Batter | 30 | Right-hand | Right-arm Legbreak |
| Sean Abbott | Bowling Allrounder | 32 | Right-hand | Right-arm Fast Medium |
| Cooper Connolly | Batting Allrounder | 21 | Left-hand | Slow Left-arm Orthodox |
| Aaron Hardie | Allrounder | 26 | Right-hand | Right-arm Medium Fast |
| Glenn Maxwell | Batting Allrounder | 36 | Right-hand | Right-arm Offbreak |
| Ben Dwarshuis | Bowler | 30 | Left-hand | Left-arm Fast Medium |
| Nathan Ellis | Bowler | 30 | Right-hand | Right-arm Fast Medium |
| Spencer Johnson | Bowler | 29 | Left-hand | Left-arm Fast |
| Tanveer Sangha | Bowler | 23 | Right-hand | Right-arm Legbreak |
| Adam Zampa | Bowler | 32 | Right-hand | Right-arm Legbreak |
Key Details:
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Steven Smith (c): Experienced captain and prolific batsman, leading Australia with tactical acumen.
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Alex Carey: Reliable wicketkeeper-batsman known for his consistency.
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Glenn Maxwell: Explosive allrounder capable of changing the game’s momentum with his batting and off-spin bowling.
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Adam Zampa: Leg-spinner who plays a crucial role in the middle overs.
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Cooper Connolly: Young allrounder added to the squad as a replacement for the injured Matt Short.
Injury Updates:
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India: No major injury concerns reported.
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Australia: Key players like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Marsh, and Marcus Stoinis have been withdrawn due to injuries. Matt Short is also ruled out, with Cooper Connolly joining as his replacement.
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India: The team is expected to retain its core players, with spinners playing a crucial role. There are no major injury concerns reported.
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Australia: With Pat Cummins sidelined, the pace attack will rely on less experienced bowlers. Spinner Adam Zampa’s performance will be vital in the middle overs.
Latest Updates:
Australia arrived in Dubai ahead of schedule to acclimate to the conditions and prepare for India’s spin-heavy attack. Steve Smith emphasized the importance of handling spin in the middle overs to secure a win.
The match is anticipated to be a thrilling contest, with India’s spin prowess up against Australia’s resilience and strategic planning.The match will be hopefully nail bitter and the winning team will qualify for the final of the Champion Trophy 2025. Stay connected for live scores and updates.