The semi-final pairings for the Champions Trophy 2025 have been decided! The first semi-final will be a high-voltage encounter between India and Australia in Dubai on Tuesday. Meanwhile, New Zealand is set to battle it out against South Africa in the second semi-final in Lahore on Wednesday.
India secured their top spot in Group A after a dominant 44-run victory over New Zealand in their final group match at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. The star performance came from Varun Chakravarthy, who claimed an impressive 5 wickets for 42 runs – the best bowling figures of the tournament so far. This win pits India against Australia in a rematch of the 2023 ODI World Cup final.
New Zealand, despite the loss, will proceed to the semi-finals where they will face South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Both semi-final matches are scheduled to begin at 2:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST), with the coin toss taking place at 2 PM IST.
Champions Trophy 2025 Semi-Final Schedule:
India vs Australia, 1st Semi-Final, March 3, 2:30 PM IST
New Zealand vs South Africa, 2nd Semi-Final, March 4, 2:30 PM IST
In the match against New Zealand, Shreyas Iyer’s solid 79 runs helped India reach a total of 249/9 in their 50 overs. Subsequently, Varun Chakaravarthy’s spin variations proved too challenging for the New Zealand batsmen. He achieved a five-wicket haul in his debut Champions Trophy match, restricting New Zealand to 205 runs in 45.3 overs.
For New Zealand, Kane Williamson fought valiantly, scoring 81 runs off 120 balls on a difficult pitch. He constructed his innings with skillful nudges and well-placed shots. However, the consistent pressure applied by the Indian spin attack in the middle overs ensured India’s continued unbeaten streak in the tournament.
Earlier in the game, New Zealand had a lucky escape when Varun Chakaravarthy dropped a catch off Will Young’s bat in Hardik Pandya’s over. However, Pandya soon provided the breakthrough, dismissing Rachin Ravindra.
Although Young and Williamson managed to hit some boundaries, the Indian bowlers kept the scoring tight, limiting New Zealand to 44/1 in the initial powerplay. Varun Chakaravarthy then took the crucial wicket of Young, further tightening India’s grip on the match.
Despite a 44-run partnership between Williamson and Mitchell, Kuldeep Yadav broke through by dismissing Mitchell. Williamson reached his half-century and attempted to keep New Zealand in the game. However, Jadeja dismissed Tom Latham, adding to New Zealand’s woes.
Jadeja could have dismissed Williamson earlier, but KL Rahul missed a chance. However, Varun Chakaravarthy returned to take two quick wickets, removing Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell. Williamson was eventually stumped, ending his resilient innings. Mitchell Santner added some late runs, but Chakaravarthy claimed his fifth wicket, sealing India’s victory.
Brief Scores: India 249/9 in 50 overs (Shreyas Iyer 79, Hardik Pandya 45; Matt Henry 5-42) defeated New Zealand 205/10 in 45.3 overs (Kane Williamson 81, Mitchell Santner 28; Varun Chakaravarthy 5-42, Kuldeep Yadav 2-56) by 44 runs.
