AUS vs IND: India will take on Australia in the opening semi-final of the Champions Trophy at Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday, following their 44-run victory over New Zealand in the final group-stage match at the same venue.
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India and New Zealand have qualified from Group A, while South Africa and Australia have qualified from Group B. In the first semi-final, India, the toppers of Group A, will face Australia, who finished second in Group B, in Dubai.
India ruled the group stage, securing victories in all three of their matches, while Australia’s campaign was interrupted by two washouts, with only one complete game, which they won against England.
Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill have both scored centuries in the early matches, while Rohit Sharma has continued his aggressive approach in the powerplay, though he had difficulty for converting his starts into bigger scores.
Shreyas Iyer has been a standout performer, delivering consecutive fifties in critical situations, while Axar Patel has made an impact with both bat and ball, effectively managing the middle overs and strengthening the batting lineup.
India’s pace attack remains a concern, as Mohammad Shami is still working on regaining his rhythm after returning from a lengthy injury break. Meanwhile, their strategy of using four spinners, led by Varun Chakravarthy’s match-winning five-wicket performance against New Zealand, has created a selection headache. Varun replaced Harshit Rana in the match against New Zealand, while Hardik Pandya shared the new ball with Shami.
AUS vs IND: for Australia
Australia has faced a setback with Matthew Short being ruled out due to a quad injury, and Cooper Connolly has been called up as his replacement. Short’s absence is a significant loss, not only for their batting but also for their bowling strategies, as his off-spin would have been crucial in the spin-friendly conditions of Dubai.
The simplest replacement at the top is Jake Fraser-McGurk, although Aaron Hardie and Connolly provide extra flexibility with both bat and ball. A positive development for Australia is Travis Head’s return to form, despite rain halting his innings against Afghanistan.
Josh Inglis and Alex Carey will also draw confidence from their match-winning performances in the highest chase against England in the Champions Trophy opener. As usual, Marnus Labuschagne and captain Steve Smith will play key roles in countering India’s spin attack.
Adam Zampa hasn’t been providing regular breakthroughs but he will still be a key player in conditions that should favor him.
- This will be their first ODI encounter since the 2023 World Cup Final in Ahmedabad.
Also Read: South Africa Makes A Thunderous Entrance Into The Semi-Final