-By ArdorComm News Network
March 3, 2025
India will take on Australia in the first semi-final of the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Tuesday after securing a 44-run victory over New Zealand in their final group-stage match. Meanwhile, New Zealand will travel to Lahore to face South Africa in the second semi-final on Wednesday.
A complex scheduling situation has resulted in logistical challenges for some teams. Both Australia and South Africa had initially flown to Dubai in preparation for the knockouts. However, South Africa will now have to return to Lahore for their semi-final match against New Zealand. An ICC official stated that the decision to keep Australia in Dubai was made to provide them with maximum preparation time for the semi-final on March 4.
The tournament schedule was impacted by India’s refusal to play any of their matches in Pakistan. As a result, their semi-final was pre-determined to be held in Dubai, regardless of their standing in Group A. The PCB had earlier attempted to convince India to play in Lahore, but the BCCI cited a lack of government approval for travel to Pakistan.
New Zealand is set to fly to Lahore early Monday morning, while South Africa will return to Pakistan later in the day after spending roughly 36 hours in Dubai.
Following India’s dominant group-stage performance, captain Rohit Sharma emphasized the importance of momentum heading into the knockout stage.
“You try to win every game and correct mistakes quickly,” Rohit said. “Australia has a rich history in ICC tournaments, but we’ll focus on our game and look forward to the contest.”