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India are gearing up for a high-stakes clash against New Zealand in the final group-stage match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. While both teams have already secured their places in the semi-finals, this match carries significant importance as it will decide the top position in Group A and ultimately determine who they face in the knockout stage. The winner of game between India and New Zealand will face Australia, while the losing side will go up against the in-form South Africa in the knockout stage.
South Africa’s dominance and Australia’s resilience in Group B
South Africa have emerged as one of the strongest teams in the competition, finishing at the top of Group B with two convincing victories over Afghanistan and England. Their clinical performances with both bat and ball have reinforced their reputation as a well-balanced and dangerous side. The Proteas’ pace attack, spin options, and explosive batting lineup make them a daunting opponent for any team in the knockout stages.
On the other hand, Australia secured their semi-final spot despite facing rain interruptions. While they benefited from a couple of washouts, they also displayed incredible resilience, especially in their historic run-chase against England, which solidified their standing as a team that thrives under pressure. Despite missing their first-choice pacers, Australia remains a battle-hardened side capable of producing match-winning performances when it matters the most.
Also READ: Champions Trophy 2025: Decoding India’s potential semifinal opponent in the global event
Sunil Gavaskar picks India’s preferred Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal opponent
Meanwhile, India have been in stellar form throughout the tournament, securing comfortable victories over both Bangladesh and Pakistan. Led by Rohit Sharma, the team has showcased its batting depth and bowling discipline, making them one of the strongest contenders for the title. However, beyond just maintaining their winning momentum, there is an extra layer of motivation for India to finish on top of Group A.
According to legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, India would likely prefer to face Australia rather than South Africa in the semi-finals. His reasoning stems from Australia’s comparatively weaker bowling attack due to the absence of their pace trio – Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. This gives India a perceived advantage over the Aussies, whom they have played against multiple times in recent ICC tournaments, including their triumph in the ODI World Cup 2023 final.
Gavaskar, while speaking to India Today, elaborated on his thoughts regarding India’s preferred semi-final opponent, stating that South Africa, having last faced India in the T20 World Cup 2024 final, remains a formidable challenge. While both Australia and South Africa are tough competitors, India might feel more comfortable against Australia, given their familiarity with their batting lineup and an injury-hit bowling attack.
“Both teams are formidable teams, make no mistake. There’s no such team that India will say, because now they know, they’ve come to the knockout stages. Here it’s now make or break, so I don’t think they would prefer to have any team. Maybe Australia because they’ve played Australia, they know Australia a little bit better than South Africa, whom they last played in the T20 World Cup 2024 final. So maybe they might prefer Australia because they are without their main bowlers. There’s no Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood so maybe they would want to play them,” Gavaskar said.
