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India and Australia are set to clash in a blockbuster ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal on March 4 in Dubai, marking their first ICC knockout meeting since the ODI World Cup 2023 final in Ahmedabad. That match saw Australia shatter India’s dream of a World Cup triumph on home soil, and now, Rohit Sharma’s side will be determined to settle the score. Given Australia’s dominance in ICC events, this semifinal will be a massive test for India as they look to rewrite history and overcome their struggles against their biggest ICC rivals.
India’s unbeaten run and dominance in Group A
India enters the semifinal with a perfect record in the tournament, having defeated Pakistan, Bangladesh and New Zealand to top Group A. Their campaign has been smooth sailing, with clinical performances from both batters and bowlers. Varun Chakravarthy’s five-wicket haul against New Zealand, along with solid contributions from Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel, ensured that India cruised into the knockouts with momentum on their side. With three consecutive wins, Rohit Sharma and his men will be looking to carry their form into the all-important semifinal against the reigning world champions.
Australia’s campaign: Weather-interrupted but unbeaten
Despite a strong start with a thrilling five-wicket victory over England, Australia have had a stop-start tournament due to rain interruptions. Their second game against South Africa was washed out, while their final group-stage clash against Afghanistan also ended in a no-result due to rain. These results meant that Australia topped Group B with five points from three matches. Josh Inglis’s century against England and Travis Head’s explosive 59 against Afghanistan showed that their batting remains a serious threat. However, with limited game time in the tournament, Australia will be looking to find their rhythm quickly against an in-form Indian side.
India vs Australia: A battle of ICC knockout history
Historically, India have struggled against Australia in ICC knockout matches, having lost three of their last four encounters since 2010. The most painful of these defeats came in the 2023 World Cup final, where Head’s stunning century guided Australia to their sixth title. However, India will take confidence from their 2011 World Cup quarterfinal win against Australia, where Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar played key roles.
With both teams boasting world-class talent, the Dubai semifinal promises to be a thrilling contest. India will rely on their spin attack of Chakravarthy, Kuldeep, and Axar, while Australia’s hopes will rest on their pace battery and in-form batters like Inglis, Head, and Steve Smith.
Also READ: Fear of Travis Head grips Indian fans as social media overflows with memes ahead of semifinal against Australia – Champions Trophy 2025
Dubai Weather Forecast for IND vs AUS semifinal
The weather forecast for Dubai on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, the day of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final between India and Australia, suggests partly cloudy conditions with no significant weather disruptions expected.
- Temperature: High of 28°C during the day, dropping to 20°C at night.
- Humidity: Moderate at 35%, which could aid swing bowlers early on.
- Wind Speed: 24 km/h, potentially assisting fast bowlers with movement.
- Precipitation Chance: 10%, meaning a rain-free game is likely.
- Cloud Cover: Partly cloudy conditions, ensuring some respite from the heat.
With clear skies and warm conditions, the Dubai International Cricket Stadium will provide an ideal setting for a thrilling knockout match between India and Australia. Dew could play a role in the second innings, influencing the toss decision, with captains likely to prefer chasing under lights.
Squads:
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy
Australia: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Adam Zampa, Cooper Connolly
