NEW DELHI: Following a dominant 44-run victory over New Zealand on Sunday, Team India continued their unbeaten run in the Champions Trophy, winning all three group-stage matches to finish atop Group A. With this triumph, India secured a semifinal clash against Steve Smith-led Australia in Dubai on Tuesday, as both teams vie for a spot in the final of the prestigious eight-nation tournament.
Australia began their campaign with a five-wicket victory over arch-rivals England. However, their remaining group-stage matches were washed out due to rain, limiting their time in the middle ahead of the knockout stage.
Despite missing several key players, Australia’s ability to rise to the occasion in high-pressure encounters remains undeniable. Their most recent ODI meeting against India was in the 2023 World Cup final, where they outclassed the hosts to claim the title.
However, the current Australian squad appears comparatively weaker than the one that defeated India by six wickets in Ahmedabad last November. Additionally, they will be without star pacer Mitchell Starc, who is unavailable due to personal reasons.
In the ICC Champions Trophy, India hold a 2-1 lead over Australia in four encounters, with one match ending in no result. India registered a 44-run victory in Dhaka in 1998 and followed it up with a 20-run win in Nairobi in 2000.
Overall, in 151 ODIs between the two teams, Australia have won 84 matches, while India have emerged victorious in 57. Ten matches have ended without a result.
With India and Australia set to clash in what promises to be a thrilling IND vs AUS encounter, let’s take a look at the weather and pitch report in Dubai ahead of their semifinal showdown.
WEATHER REPORT
No rain is expected on match day, with the forecast predicting a sunny and clear day in Dubai for the IND vs AUS clash. The temperature is expected to be around 30°C during the first half of the match. After sunset, the temperature will likely drop to around 25°C.
MORNING:
AFTERNOON:
EVENING:
PITCH REPORT:
The Dubai cricket surface has proven challenging for batting, with spin bowlers likely to dominate crucial periods of the match for both teams.
