With Steve Smith and Alex Carey’s steady inning, Australia managed to score 264 runs against India in the first semifinal of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai.
The first semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 was scheduled to be played between Rohit Sharma-led India and Steve Smith-led Australia on March 4 in Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai.
Notably, the highest target successfully chased down in an ICC ODI tournament knockout game against Australia (CWC or CT) was 261 by India in the 2011 World Cup quarterfinal in Ahmedabad.
Speaking of the match, Australia won the toss and opted to bat first where Travis Head and Cooper Connolly opened the inning while Shami made the bowling attack.
Mohammed Shami dropped Travis Head for a duck but made a bounce back in the third over by dismissing Cooper Connolly for a nine-ball duck. Though Australia lost an early wicket, their key player Travis Head made a stand and started to add runs for the team.
While Steve Smith and Travis Head’s combination looked dangerous, Varun Chakravarthy made a necessary breakthrough by dismissing dangerous Travis Head for 39 runs off the very first delivery he bowled against the left-handed batter in Champions Trophy 2025.
After surviving a couple of dismissal chances, Travis Head was expected to be a game-changer for Australia but Rohit made a surprise move by introducing Varun in the ninth over.
In the second delivery of the ninth over, Varun Chakravarthy tossed up full on off and middle while Head got forward to loft and miscued it. Gill who stood at long off position ran forward and took an impressive catch to dismiss Head.
In the very first legal delivery of the inning, Mohammed Shami drops Travis Head for a duck later Travis Head survives a direct throw from Jadeja.
Following Head’s dismissal, Australia captain Steve Smith took charge and started to add runs while partnering with Marnus Labuschagne. The duo added 56 runs for the next wicket.
Ravindra Jadeja broke the partnership by dismissing Labuschagne for 29 runs. Though Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell departed without making an impact on the scoreboard, Smith’s 73 and Alex Carey’s 61 pushed Australia to score 264 runs after losing 10 wickets with three balls left to bowl.
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