India have already booked their spot in the Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal but their opponent is still not clear as multiple scenarios remain possible in Group B. While South Africa and Australia are the top 2 in the group right now, a sensational win against England on Wednesday kept Afghanistan’s hope of reaching the knockout stages alive. With two matches to go in Group B, three teams remain in contention for the top spots with only England getting eliminated after two consecutive defeats.
In the final two matches of Group B, Afghanistan will take on Australia while South Africa will face England. If South Africa and Australia win their respective matches, they will qualify for the semi-finals.
If Australia beat Afghanistan, South Africa will qualify irrespective of their result. However, if Afghanistan beat Australia, they will book their semifinal berth and Australia’s fate will depend on an England victory and the net run rate. South Africa (NNR of +2.140) have a huge advantage over Australia (+0.475).
Who can India face in the semi-finals?
India have already booked their semifinal spot with two wins in the tournament. While both India and New Zealand have already qualified, the final Group A match between the two sides will decide who will top the group. The top-placed team in Group A will face the second-placed team of Group B in the semifinals.
If Australia and South Africa both win their respective matches and India beat New Zealand, the Rohit Sharma-led side is likely to face Australia on Tuesday. However, if India finish second, they will face South Africa in the same scenario.
On the other hand, if Afghanistan beat Australia and South Africa emerge victorious over England, India will face Afghanistan if they top the group. If India lose to New Zealand, they will face South Africa in this specific scenario.
If South Africa and Australia both lose their matches, India will take on Afghanistan in case of a second-placed finish. In this scenario, a win for India against New Zealand will set up a semifinal clash against South Africa/Australia depending on which team comes second in Group B on NRR.
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