The much-anticipated semi-final clash between India and Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to take place on March 4 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. This encounter not only rekindles a historic rivalry but also offers cricket enthusiasts a spectacle of skill, strategy, and sportsmanship. In this comprehensive preview, we’ll delve into the weather forecast, team line-ups, head-to-head statistics, and other pertinent details to set the stage for this thrilling match-up.
Weather Update and Pitch Conditions
The weather in Dubai on match day is expected to be ideal for cricket. Forecasts predict a bright and sunny day with temperatures hovering in the comfortable 20s Celsius, ensuring uninterrupted play.
The pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium has historically favored spinners, offering slow turn and variable bounce. Teams with a strong spin attack have often found success here, making the selection of spinners crucial for this encounter.
Team Squads and Predicted Playing XI
India
India enters the semi-final with an unblemished record, having won all three of their group stage matches. Their recent 44-run victory over New Zealand highlighted the potency of their spin attack, with Varun Chakravarthy’s remarkable 5-42 performance standing out.
Predicted Playing XI:
- Rohit Sharma (c)
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul (wk)
- Hardik Pandya
- Axar Patel
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Harshit Rana
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Varun Chakravarthy
Note: Harshit Rana is expected to replace Mohammed Shami, who has struggled in recent outings.
Squad:
- Rohit Sharma (c)
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- Axar Patel
- KL Rahul (wk)
- Hardik Pandya
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Harshit Rana
- Mohammed Shami
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Rishabh Pant
- Washington Sundar
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Arshdeep Singh
Australia
Australia’s journey to the semi-finals has been marred by injuries and withdrawals of key players. Notably, fast bowlers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc are absent, with Starc withdrawing due to personal reasons.
Additionally, all-rounder Marcus Stoinis announced his retirement from ODIs ahead of the tournament.
Despite these setbacks, Australia has showcased resilience, with players like Adam Zampa stepping up, although Zampa has acknowledged not being in peak form.
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Predicted Playing XI:
- Travis Head
- Cooper Connolly
- Steve Smith (c)
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Josh Inglis (wk)
- Alex Carey
- Glenn Maxwell
- Spencer Johnson
- Ben Dwarshuis
- Nathan Ellis
- Adam Zampa
Note: Cooper Connolly has been included as a replacement for the injured Matthew Short.
Squad:
- Steve Smith (c)
- Sean Abbott
- Alex Carey
- Cooper Connolly
- Ben Dwarshuis
- Nathan Ellis
- Jake Fraser-McGurk
- Aaron Hardie
- Travis Head
- Josh Inglis
- Spencer Johnson
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Glenn Maxwell
- Tanveer Sangha
- Adam Zampa
Head-to-Head Record
In One Day Internationals (ODIs), Australia holds an edge over India. Out of 151 encounters, Australia has won 84 matches, while India has secured 57 victories, with 10 matches yielding no result.