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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Steve Smith Retires:</strong> Australia&rsquo;s stand-in ODI skipper Steve Smith announced his retirement from the ODI format on Wednesday (Mar 5) after his side&rsquo;s exit from Champions Trophy 2025 at the hands of India. One of the greats of the game, Smith was a member of the 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cup squads of Australia and served as a stand-in skipper for the Champions Trophy 2025 in the absence of Pat Cummins. Smith&rsquo;s decision to retire from the format comes hours after Australia had lost to India by four wickets in the Champions Trophy 2025.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Smith announces ODI retirement</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">"It has been a great ride and I have loved every minute of it," Smith said in a release on Wednesday (Mar 5).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">"There have been so many amazing times and wonderful memories. Winning two World Cups was a great highlight along with the many fantastic teammates who shared the journey.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">"Now is a great opportunity for people to start preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup so it feels like the right time to make way.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">"Test cricket remains a priority and I am really looking forward to the World Test Championship final, the West Indies in the winter and then England at home. I feel I still have a lot to contribute on that stage."</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">After a career spanning over a decade and a half, Smith hangs his boots with 170 appearances in ODI format (16th most for Australia). He has also scored 5800 runs during that time (12th highest for Australia). During those 170 appearances, Smith also led Australia in 64 matches including the Champions Trophy 2025 where his side exited in the semis after losing to India.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-having-six-bowling-options-was-something-we-prioritised-says-india-skipper-rohit-sharma-8790832" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Champions Trophy: &lsquo;Having six bowling options was something we prioritised,&rsquo; says India skipper Rohit Sharma</a></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Smith finishes with 5,800 runs at an average of 43.28 and a strike rate of 86.96 per 100 balls faced, with 12 centuries and 35 fifties and a highest score of 164 against New Zealand at the SCG in 2016.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Despite his retirement from the ODI format, Smith will continue to feature in the Test and T20I format having recently scored a double ton against Sri Lanka in red-ball cricket. Smith has showed desire to play in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as cricket returns to the quadrennial event after 128 years.</p>

Steve Smith Retired | Australia’s stand-in ODI skipper Steve Smith announced his retirement from the ODI format after his side’s exit from Champions Trophy 2025 at the hands of India.

Steve Smith Retires: Australia’s stand-in ODI skipper Steve Smith announced his retirement from the ODI format on Wednesday (Mar 5) after his side’s exit from Champions Trophy 2025 at the hands of India. One of the greats of the game, Smith was a member of the 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cup squads of Australia and served as a stand-in skipper for the Champions Trophy 2025 in the absence of Pat Cummins. Smith’s decision to retire from the format comes hours after Australia had lost to India by four wickets in the Champions Trophy 2025. Smith announces ODI retirement "It has been a great ride and I have loved every minute of it," Smith said in a release on Wednesday (Mar 5). "There have been so many amazing times and wonderful memories. Winning two World Cups was a great highlight along with the many fantastic teammates who shared the journey. "Now is a great opportunity for people to start preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup so it feels like the right time to make way. "Test cricket remains a priority and I am really looking forward to the World Test Championship final, the West Indies in the winter and then England at home. I feel I still have a lot to contribute on that stage." After a career spanning over a decade and a half, Smith hangs his boots with 170 appearances in ODI format (16th most for Australia). He has also scored 5800 runs during that time (12th highest for Australia). During those 170 appearances, Smith also led Australia in 64 matches including the Champions Trophy 2025 where his side exited in the semis after losing to India. ALSO READ | Champions Trophy: ‘Having six bowling options was something we prioritised,’ says India skipper Rohit Sharma Smith finishes with 5,800 runs at an average of 43.28 and a strike rate of 86.96 per 100 balls faced, with 12 centuries and 35 fifties and a highest score of 164 against New Zealand at the SCG in 2016. Despite his retirement from the ODI format, Smith will continue to feature in the Test and T20I format having recently scored a double ton against Sri Lanka in red-ball cricket. Smith has showed desire to play in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as cricket returns to the quadrennial event after 128 years.

Steve Smith Retires | Australia's stand-in skipper announces ODI retirement after side's Champions Trophy exit

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Australia stand-in skipper Steve Smith is not buying into claims of &ldquo;home advantage&rdquo; to Team India after his side exited the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 on Tuesday (Mar 4). Playing at the Dubai International Stadium in a repeat of the 2023 ODI World Cup final, India beat Australia by four wickets to book their place in the final of the Champions Trophy. After the match, Smith spoke to the media and dismissed claims of home advantage as India have avoided traveling during the Champions Trophy and are based in Dubai.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Smith dismisses talks of &lsquo;home advantage&rsquo;</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">"I'm not buying into it," Smith said post-game when asked about the significance of India being based in Dubai when the rest of the tournament took place in Pakistan.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">"India obviously played some really good cricket here.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">"The surface kind of suits their style with the spinners that they've got and the seamers that they have at their disposal for a wicket like that.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">"They played well, they outplayed us and they deserve the victory."</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-having-six-bowling-options-was-something-we-prioritised-says-india-skipper-rohit-sharma-8790832" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Champions Trophy: &lsquo;Having six bowling options was something we prioritised,&rsquo; says India skipper Rohit Sharma</a></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Throughout the Champions Trophy 2025, India were based in Dubai as part of an agreement with ICC. Under the hybrid model, India are playing their matches in Dubai while the rest of the sides are playing in Pakistan, the official host of the tournament.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>India in final of CT 2025</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Exacting revenge for the loss in the ODI World Cup final, India got the better of Australia in the semifinal. The Aussies were missing big-name players in the squad.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Virat Kohli led the charge in the 265-run chase as he scored 84 runs while mature knocks from Shreyas Iyer (45) and KL Rahul (unbeaten 42) helped India steer to victory. The Men in Blue will now face the winner of New Zealand and South Africa semifinal on Sunday in Dubai.</p>

Sports, Cricket: Australia stand-in skipper Steve Smith is not buying into claims of “home advantage” to Team India after his side exited the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025.

Australia stand-in skipper Steve Smith is not buying into claims of “home advantage” to Team India after his side exited the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 on Tuesday (Mar 4). Playing at the Dubai International Stadium in a repeat of the 2023 ODI World Cup final, India beat Australia by four wickets to book their place in the final of the Champions Trophy. After the match, Smith spoke to the media and dismissed claims of home advantage as India have avoided traveling during the Champions Trophy and are based in Dubai. Smith dismisses talks of ‘home advantage’ "I'm not buying into it," Smith said post-game when asked about the significance of India being based in Dubai when the rest of the tournament took place in Pakistan. "India obviously played some really good cricket here. "The surface kind of suits their style with the spinners that they've got and the seamers that they have at their disposal for a wicket like that. "They played well, they outplayed us and they deserve the victory." ALSO READ | Champions Trophy: ‘Having six bowling options was something we prioritised,’ says India skipper Rohit Sharma Throughout the Champions Trophy 2025, India were based in Dubai as part of an agreement with ICC. Under the hybrid model, India are playing their matches in Dubai while the rest of the sides are playing in Pakistan, the official host of the tournament. India in final of CT 2025 Exacting revenge for the loss in the ODI World Cup final, India got the better of Australia in the semifinal. The Aussies were missing big-name players in the squad. Virat Kohli led the charge in the 265-run chase as he scored 84 runs while mature knocks from Shreyas Iyer (45) and KL Rahul (unbeaten 42) helped India steer to victory. The Men in Blue will now face the winner of New Zealand and South Africa semifinal on Sunday in Dubai.

Champions Trophy 2025: Aussie skipper Steve Smith 'not buying' into India's 'home' advantage after semis exit

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">India cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has taken a dig at critics over claims of &ldquo;one venue advantage&rdquo; after his side booked their place in the final of the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025. Playing on Tuesday (Mar 4) at the Dubai International Stadium, India beat Australia by four wickets to advance to the summit clash. After the match, the Indian head coach highlighted that Team India had no advantage despite playing all their matches at one venue.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Gambhir blasts critics</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">"First of all, this is as neutral a venue for us as it is for any other team," an agitated Gambhir told reporters, insisting India had not enjoyed any advantage over other teams, because they were not playing at home.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">"We have not played here. I don't remember which tournament we played in this stadium last. And in fact, we didn't plan anything like that...</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">"The plan was that if you pick two front-line spinners in the 15-man squad, then even if we played in Pakistan or anywhere, we would have picked two front-line spinners because it was a competition on the subcontinent."</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">As part of the hybrid model deal with ICC, India are playing all their matches in Dubai despite Pakistan being the official host of the tournament. The Men in Blue have so far won all their four matches in the Champions Trophy 2025 which were hosted in Dubai. English former captains and commentators Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain claimed Team India have an advantage as they do not have to travel between matches while it is not the case for other teams.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-having-six-bowling-options-was-something-we-prioritised-says-india-skipper-rohit-sharma-8790832" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Champions Trophy: &lsquo;Having six bowling options was something we prioritised,&rsquo; says India skipper Rohit Sharma</a></strong></p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>India in final of CT 2025</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Exacting revenge for the loss in the ODI World Cup final, India got the better of Australia in the semifinal who were missing big-name players in the squad. Virat Kohli led the charge in the 265-run chase as he scored 84 runs while mature knocks from Shreyas Iyer (45) and KL Rahul (unbeaten 42) helped India to win. The Men in Blue will now face the winner of New Zealand and South Africa semifinal on Sunday in Dubai.</p>

Sports, Cricket: Playing on Tuesday (Mar 4) at the Dubai International Stadium, India beat Australia by four wickets to advance to the summit clash.

India cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has taken a dig at critics over claims of “one venue advantage” after his side booked their place in the final of the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025. Playing on Tuesday (Mar 4) at the Dubai International Stadium, India beat Australia by four wickets to advance to the summit clash. After the match, the Indian head coach highlighted that Team India had no advantage despite playing all their matches at one venue. Gambhir blasts critics "First of all, this is as neutral a venue for us as it is for any other team," an agitated Gambhir told reporters, insisting India had not enjoyed any advantage over other teams, because they were not playing at home. "We have not played here. I don't remember which tournament we played in this stadium last. And in fact, we didn't plan anything like that... "The plan was that if you pick two front-line spinners in the 15-man squad, then even if we played in Pakistan or anywhere, we would have picked two front-line spinners because it was a competition on the subcontinent." As part of the hybrid model deal with ICC, India are playing all their matches in Dubai despite Pakistan being the official host of the tournament. The Men in Blue have so far won all their four matches in the Champions Trophy 2025 which were hosted in Dubai. English former captains and commentators Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain claimed Team India have an advantage as they do not have to travel between matches while it is not the case for other teams. ALSO READ | Champions Trophy: ‘Having six bowling options was something we prioritised,’ says India skipper Rohit Sharma India in final of CT 2025 Exacting revenge for the loss in the ODI World Cup final, India got the better of Australia in the semifinal who were missing big-name players in the squad. Virat Kohli led the charge in the 265-run chase as he scored 84 runs while mature knocks from Shreyas Iyer (45) and KL Rahul (unbeaten 42) helped India to win. The Men in Blue will now face the winner of New Zealand and South Africa semifinal on Sunday in Dubai.

Champions Trophy 2025: Gautam Gambhir blasts critics over 'one-venue advantage' claims after India reach final

<p data-start="95" data-end="333">Indian captain Rohit Sharma reiterated the importance of having six bowling options without compromising batting depth after his team secured a comfortable four-wicket victory over Australia in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> semi-final on Tuesday.</p>
<p data-start="335" data-end="688">Chasing a target of 265, India rode on Virat Kohli&rsquo;s composed 84, along with valuable contributions from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shreyas-iyer">Shreyas Iyer</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kl-rahul">KL Rahul</a>, to clinch the win with 11 balls to spare. The Indian bowlers had earlier restricted Australia to a modest total, with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mohammed-shami">Mohammed Shami</a> (3/38), Varun Chakravarthy, and Ravindra Jadeja (two wickets each) leading the charge.</p>
<p data-start="690" data-end="912">"Having six bowling options and batting depth till No. 8 was something we prioritised while selecting the squad. Credit goes to everyone involved in putting this team together," Rohit said at the post-match presentation.</p>
<p data-start="914" data-end="1259">Assessing the chase, Rohit noted that India approached the target with composure and clinical execution. "At the halfway stage, we felt it was a reasonable score. We had to bat really well, and we did just that. The surface was slightly better in the second innings, and we focused on playing good cricket rather than overanalysing the pitch."</p>
<p data-start="1261" data-end="1465">Rohit also praised Virat Kohli for yet another successful chase. "He has done this for us so many times. His partnership with Shreyas was crucial, and Hardik&rsquo;s finishing touches were equally important."</p>
<p data-start="1467" data-end="1708">With this win, India advance to the final, where they will face the winner of the South Africa vs. New Zealand semi-final. The victory also means the final will now take place at Dubai instead of Lahore.</p>
<p data-start="1710" data-end="1893">"As we prepare for the final, it's great to have all our players in form. We&rsquo;ll take it one step at a time, and for now, I want the guys to relax and enjoy the moment," Rohit added.</p>
<h2 data-start="1895" data-end="1940">Smith reflects on Australia&rsquo;s shortfall</h2>
<p data-start="1942" data-end="2047">Australian skipper Steve Smith admitted his team fell short of a competitive total by at least 20 runs.&nbsp;"Our bowlers did a good job, and the spinners managed to tighten things up, making the chase trickier. But the pitch wasn't easy for batting early on. We needed 280-plus to really challenge India. Losing wickets at regular intervals hurt us," Smith reflected.</p>
<p data-start="2312" data-end="2457" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

Cricket, Sports: Chasing a target of 265, India rode on Virat Kohli’s 84, along with valuable contributions from Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, to clinch the win with 11 balls to spare

Indian captain Rohit Sharma reiterated the importance of having six bowling options without compromising batting depth after his team secured a comfortable four-wicket victory over Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final on Tuesday. Chasing a target of 265, India rode on Virat Kohli’s composed 84, along with valuable contributions from Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, to clinch the win with 11 balls to spare. The Indian bowlers had earlier restricted Australia to a modest total, with Mohammed Shami (3/38), Varun Chakravarthy, and Ravindra Jadeja (two wickets each) leading the charge. "Having six bowling options and batting depth till No. 8 was something we prioritised while selecting the squad. Credit goes to everyone involved in putting this team together," Rohit said at the post-match presentation. Assessing the chase, Rohit noted that India approached the target with composure and clinical execution. "At the halfway stage, we felt it was a reasonable score. We had to bat really well, and we did just that. The surface was slightly better in the second innings, and we focused on playing good cricket rather than overanalysing the pitch." Rohit also praised Virat Kohli for yet another successful chase. "He has done this for us so many times. His partnership with Shreyas was crucial, and Hardik’s finishing touches were equally important." With this win, India advance to the final, where they will face the winner of the South Africa vs. New Zealand semi-final. The victory also means the final will now take place at Dubai instead of Lahore. "As we prepare for the final, it's great to have all our players in form. We’ll take it one step at a time, and for now, I want the guys to relax and enjoy the moment," Rohit added. Smith reflects on Australia’s shortfall Australian skipper Steve Smith admitted his team fell short of a competitive total by at least 20 runs. "Our bowlers did a good job, and the spinners managed to tighten things up, making the chase trickier. But the pitch wasn't easy for batting early on. We needed 280-plus to really challenge India. Losing wickets at regular intervals hurt us," Smith reflected. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy: ‘Having six bowling options was something we prioritised,’ says India skipper Rohit Sharma

<p data-start="0" data-end="243">India&rsquo;s batting star, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a>, compared his match-winning knock in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> semi-final against Australia to his unbeaten century against Pakistan, stressing the importance of strike rotation in the prevailing conditions.</p>
<p data-start="245" data-end="602">Kohli played a crucial role in India's successful chase of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/australia-cricket">Australia</a>&rsquo;s 265-run target on a challenging pitch, scoring a composed 84 off 98 balls. Though he couldn&rsquo;t finish the game, his innings laid the foundation for a comfortable victory. Similar to his approach against Pakistan, Kohli relied on quick singles and doubles, hitting only five boundaries.</p>
<p data-start="604" data-end="828">"It was quite similar to the other day against Pakistan. Understanding the conditions and rotating the strike is crucial because partnerships matter on this pitch," Kohli said after receiving the Player of the Match award.</p>
<p data-start="604" data-end="828"><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-ahead-of-the-semi-final-here-is-what-sa-skipper-bavuma-said-about-nzs-williamson-8788206">Champions Trophy: Ahead of semi-final, HERE is what SA skipper Bavuma said about NZ's Williamson</a></strong></p>
<h2 data-start="604" data-end="828"><strong>'My approach depends on conditions'</strong></h2>
<p data-start="830" data-end="936">His knock showcased his exceptional fitness, with 56 singles and four twos forming the bulk of his runs.&nbsp;"My approach depends on the conditions. I focused on my timing, stayed composed, and didn&rsquo;t feel rushed. The singles I took were the most satisfying part of my innings," he added.</p>
<p data-start="1121" data-end="1218">Kohli highlighted the mental aspect of the game, stressing the importance of handling pressure.&nbsp;"If you go deep into the game, the opposition usually gives in. Controlling impulses is key. Even if the required run rate is six per over, I don&rsquo;t worry," he explained.</p>
<p data-start="1393" data-end="1489">When asked if he was in the best phase of his ODI career, the Indian maestro remained unfazed.&nbsp;"I don&rsquo;t know. That&rsquo;s for others to analyse. I never focus on those things. Milestones happen when you don&rsquo;t chase them. If I reach a hundred, great, but the win is what matters. Those things don&rsquo;t concern me anymore," Kohli signed off.</p>
<p data-start="1393" data-end="1489"><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>
<p data-start="1393" data-end="1489">&nbsp;</p>
<p data-start="1393" data-end="1489">&nbsp;</p>

Cricket, Sports: Kohli played a crucial role in India's successful chase of Australia’s 265-run target on a challenging pitch, scoring a composed 84 off 98 balls

India’s batting star, Virat Kohli, compared his match-winning knock in the Champions Trophy semi-final against Australia to his unbeaten century against Pakistan, stressing the importance of strike rotation in the prevailing conditions. Kohli played a crucial role in India's successful chase of Australia’s 265-run target on a challenging pitch, scoring a composed 84 off 98 balls. Though he couldn’t finish the game, his innings laid the foundation for a comfortable victory. Similar to his approach against Pakistan, Kohli relied on quick singles and doubles, hitting only five boundaries. "It was quite similar to the other day against Pakistan. Understanding the conditions and rotating the strike is crucial because partnerships matter on this pitch," Kohli said after receiving the Player of the Match award. Also Read: Champions Trophy: Ahead of semi-final, HERE is what SA skipper Bavuma said about NZ's Williamson 'My approach depends on conditions' His knock showcased his exceptional fitness, with 56 singles and four twos forming the bulk of his runs. "My approach depends on the conditions. I focused on my timing, stayed composed, and didn’t feel rushed. The singles I took were the most satisfying part of my innings," he added. Kohli highlighted the mental aspect of the game, stressing the importance of handling pressure. "If you go deep into the game, the opposition usually gives in. Controlling impulses is key. Even if the required run rate is six per over, I don’t worry," he explained. When asked if he was in the best phase of his ODI career, the Indian maestro remained unfazed. "I don’t know. That’s for others to analyse. I never focus on those things. Milestones happen when you don’t chase them. If I reach a hundred, great, but the win is what matters. Those things don’t concern me anymore," Kohli signed off. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy: Kohli compares semi-final knock to Pakistan century, says strike rotation is crucial

<p>India beat Australia by four wickets to advance to the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The Men in Blue rode on Virat Kohli's brilliant 84 off 98 deliveries for a comfortable win. Towards the end of the innings, a quickfire cameo by Hardik Pandya (28 off 24 balls) helped ease the pressure for India.</p>
<p><span>Captain Rohit Sharma was dismissed by Cooper Connolly after making 28 runs, while his opening partner Shubman Gill became a victim of Ben Dwarshuis for 8. Shreyas Iyer made 45 after stitching crucial 91 runs with Kohli for the third wicket. He was clean-bowled by Adam Zampa in the 27th over.</span></p>
<p>For Australia, Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa picked two wickets each.</p>
<p>Earlier, Indian bowlers were persistent but well-paced fifties from Steve Smith and Alex Carey carried a largely profligate Australia to a slightly sub-par 264 all out. <span>Throughout his stay, Smith was the pillar of Australian innings, and was involved in three 50 stands &mdash; 52 with Travis Head for the second wicket, 56 for the third wicket Marnus Labuschagne and 54 for the fifth wicket with Carey (61 runs).</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Men in Blue advance to the final of Champions Trophy 2025 after beating Australia by four wickets in Dubai. They will now face either South Africa or New Zealand on March 9.</p>
<p><em>This live blog has now been ended.</em></p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: India beat Australia, advance to final

<p>Men in Blue are in driving seat as they need 65 runs to win from the last 10 overs. Virat Kohli is not out at 80 off 93 deliveries, while KL Rahul is unbeaten at 10 runs</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: India 200/4 after 40 overs

<p>India are 150/3 after 30 overs. For India, Virat Kohli (59*) and Axar Patel (8) are at the crease.</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: India 150/3 after 30 overs

<p>At the end of 20 overs, India are 103/2. Virat Kohli is unbeaten at 34 runs off 40 balls, while Shreyas Iyer is not out at 31 runs off 40 balls.</p>
<p><strong>Score:</strong></p>
<p><strong>India:</strong> 103/2 (20 overs)</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: After 20 overs, India are 103/2

<p>After 10 overs, Men in Blue are 55/2 with Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer at the crease. India are chasing a target of 265 runs set by Australia.</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: India 55/2 after 10 overs

<p>Australia fail to bat 50 overs after electing to bat first on winning the toss. Smith and Carey scored fifties to make sure they have some sort of a target but given India's form, it should be chased down.</p>
<p><strong>AUS:</strong> 264/10 (Smith 73, Shami 3/48)</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Australia 264 all-out in Dubai

<p>Two quick wickes have derailed Australia here and Carey is their only hope.</p>
<p><strong>Score</strong></p>
<p><strong>AUS:</strong> 213/6 in 40 overs</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Carey last hope for Australia

<p><em>Steven Smith b Mohammed Shami 73</em></p>
<p><strong>Score</strong></p>
<p><strong>AUS: </strong>198/5 36.4 overs</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: WICKET!!

<p>The Aussies have lost four wickets but good thing for them is Smith on the crease who looks set for his century. Alex Carey is giving support to him as the duo take the team near to 200-run mark.</p>
<p><strong>Score</strong></p>
<p><strong>Aus:</strong><span>&nbsp;182</span>/4 in 34 overs</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Smith key for Australia

<p>Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne have made sure that Australia stay in the match after two early wickets. The duo have taken Australia post 100 and have added 51 runs for the third wicket.</p>
<p><strong>Score</strong></p>
<p><strong>Aus:</strong><span> 105</span>/2 in 21 overs</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Australia rebuild after two early wickets

<p>Great start by India after losing the toss as they out both the openers including the dangerous Travis Head.</p>
<p><strong>Score</strong></p>
<p><strong>Aus:</strong> 63/2 in 10 overs</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Australia lose two wickets in first powerplay

<p><em>Travis Head c Shubman Gill b Varun 39</em></p>
<p><strong>AUS:</strong> 54/2 (8.2 overs)</p>

<p><em>Cooper Connolly c &dagger;Rahul b Mohammed Shami 0</em></p>

<p>Travis Head and Cooper Connolly have opened the innings for Australia as both sides search for a decent start.&nbsp;</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Head-Connolly open for Australia

<p>In a headline news for Team India, <span>Varun Chakravarthy has kept his place in the Playing XI. He will be a key asset for India as they look to book their place in the final for a third consecutive time.</span></p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Big news, Varun Chakravarthy is in 

<p>Cooper Connolly, Travis Head, Steven Smith(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis(w), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Tanveer Sangha</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Australia Playing XI

<p>Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: India Playing XI

<p>Australia have won the toss and will bat first in the semis as India will have to chase the target, in a different theme compared to the ODI World Cup final.&nbsp;</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Australia win toss, opt to bat first

<p>The toss is likely to play a crucial role as India and Australia will look to open the first cards of the day. The playing XI will be a crucial choice for both the sides as they search for a place in the final.&nbsp;</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Will toss play a crucial role?

<p>It will interesting to see whether the Indian team opts for Harshit Rana or they keep faith in Varun Chakravarthy after a match-winning spell against New Zealand?</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Will India play Varun Chakravarthy?

<p>Jake Fraser-McGurk, Travis Head, Steven Smith(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis(w), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson, Sean Abbott, Aaron Hardie, Tanveer Sangha, Cooper Connolly</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: what is New Zealand's squad?

<p><span>Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana</span></p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: What is India's squad?

<p>India's only defeat at CWC 2023 came in that one game in which their spinners failed to take a single wicket (Kuldeep and Jadeja returned 0/99 in 20 overs between them).</p>
<p>Rohit is the only player with 1000-plus runs in Overs 1-10 in ODIs since 2023. Of the 100 players who have scored at least 100 runs in this phase in ODIs since 2023, only Travis Head has a superior strike-rate (130.48).</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Did you know

<p>Travis Head, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshius, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Australia proabale Playing XI

<p>Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: India Proabale Playing XI

<p>India have lost 13 tosses in a row but Rohit Sharma is unlikely to be too worried for his continued lack of luck with the coin. The Indian team is well familiar with the conditions and are well prepared to set or chase the target. It will be a tricky call for Steve Smith if he wins the toss.</p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: What to expect?

<p><span>India 57 wins</span></p>
<p><span>Australia 84 wins</span></p>
<p><span>no results 10</span></p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: IND vs AUS Head-to-Head Stats

<p><span>The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will be played at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai.</span></p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: Where is the match?

<p><span>The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will start at 2:30 PM IST on Tuesday (Mar 4) with the toss taking place at 2:00 PM IST.</span></p>

IND vs AUS Live Score Updates: When is the match?

<p>In a repeat of the 2023 ODI World Cup final, India will take on Australia in the first semifinal of the Champions Trophy 2025 on Tuesday (Mar 4). The contest between the two traditional rivals will be one to watch as India search for revenge while Australia look to add another ICC trophy to their cabinet.</p>

IND vs AUS, Champions Trophy 2025, LIVE Score: India search for redemption

India beat Australia by four wickets to advance to the final of the Champions Trophy 2025. The Men in Blue rode on Virat Kohli's 84 off 98 deliveries for a comfortable win

India beat Australia by four wickets to advance to the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The Men in Blue rode on Virat Kohli's brilliant 84 off 98 deliveries for a comfortable win. Towards the end of the innings, a quickfire cameo by Hardik Pandya (28 off 24 balls) helped ease the pressure for India. Captain Rohit Sharma was dismissed by Cooper Connolly after making 28 runs, while his opening partner Shubman Gill became a victim of Ben Dwarshuis for 8. Shreyas Iyer made 45 after stitching crucial 91 runs with Kohli for the third wicket. He was clean-bowled by Adam Zampa in the 27th over. For Australia, Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa picked two wickets each. Earlier, Indian bowlers were persistent but well-paced fifties from Steve Smith and Alex Carey carried a largely profligate Australia to a slightly sub-par 264 all out. Throughout his stay, Smith was the pillar of Australian innings, and was involved in three 50 stands — 52 with Travis Head for the second wicket, 56 for the third wicket Marnus Labuschagne and 54 for the fifth wicket with Carey (61 runs).

HIGHLIGHTS | IND vs AUS 1st Semi Final: India beat Australia, advance to final

<p>South Africa captain Temba Bavuma acknowledged <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kane-williamson">Kane Williamson</a>'s impact ahead of their ICC <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> semi-final, calling him a 'thorn in our flesh'. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Bavuma said that his team has planned strategies to counter New Zealand&rsquo;s batting mainstay.</p>
<p>Williamson, who scored 81 in a losing effort against India in the final league match, has been in fine form against South Africa, having hit consecutive centuries, including an unbeaten 133 in Lahore last month during the tri-nation series.</p>
<p>"Yes, he (Williamson) has been a challenge for us, and we have specific plans in place. The key will be to raise our intensity when he comes to bat," Bavuma said. "However, execution will be crucial in the end.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/161-and-counting-india-virat-kohli-becomes-world-second-best-fielder-8781674">'161 and counting': India's Virat Kohli becomes world's second best fielder</a></strong></p>
<p>Despite New Zealand&rsquo;s recent loss to India in Dubai, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/temba-bavuma">Bavuma</a> dismissed any notion that it would dent their confidence. "They have performed strongly in Pakistan, winning all their matches there. They are a well-balanced side, so I don&rsquo;t think their defeat to India will affect them much," he added.</p>
<h2>George Linde roped in as cover</h2>
<p>When asked whether he would prefer to play the final in Lahore or Dubai, Bavuma acknowledged India's strong form in the tournament but maintained that his team is focused on the semi-final for now.</p>
<p>He also commented on the logistical challenges of South Africa and Australia having to travel to Dubai just to determine their semi-final venues. "It wasn&rsquo;t ideal, but there wasn&rsquo;t much we could do given the tournament&rsquo;s structure and logistics," he admitted.</p>
<p>Injury concerns continue to trouble South Africa, with Aiden Markram being the latest to suffer a hamstring strain. Left-arm spin all-rounder George Linde has been brought in as cover.</p>
<p>"Linde is here as a precaution, but Aiden will undergo a fitness test today. On a positive note, both Tony (de Zorzi) and I are feeling much better after our recent illness," Bavuma signed off.</p>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

Cricket, Sports: Williamson, who scored 81 in a losing effort against India in the final league match, has been in fine form against South Africa, having hit consecutive centuries

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma acknowledged Kane Williamson's impact ahead of their ICC Champions Trophy semi-final, calling him a 'thorn in our flesh'. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Bavuma said that his team has planned strategies to counter New Zealand’s batting mainstay. Williamson, who scored 81 in a losing effort against India in the final league match, has been in fine form against South Africa, having hit consecutive centuries, including an unbeaten 133 in Lahore last month during the tri-nation series. "Yes, he (Williamson) has been a challenge for us, and we have specific plans in place. The key will be to raise our intensity when he comes to bat," Bavuma said. "However, execution will be crucial in the end.” Also Read: '161 and counting': India's Virat Kohli becomes world's second best fielder Despite New Zealand’s recent loss to India in Dubai, Bavuma dismissed any notion that it would dent their confidence. "They have performed strongly in Pakistan, winning all their matches there. They are a well-balanced side, so I don’t think their defeat to India will affect them much," he added. George Linde roped in as cover When asked whether he would prefer to play the final in Lahore or Dubai, Bavuma acknowledged India's strong form in the tournament but maintained that his team is focused on the semi-final for now. He also commented on the logistical challenges of South Africa and Australia having to travel to Dubai just to determine their semi-final venues. "It wasn’t ideal, but there wasn’t much we could do given the tournament’s structure and logistics," he admitted. Injury concerns continue to trouble South Africa, with Aiden Markram being the latest to suffer a hamstring strain. Left-arm spin all-rounder George Linde has been brought in as cover. "Linde is here as a precaution, but Aiden will undergo a fitness test today. On a positive note, both Tony (de Zorzi) and I are feeling much better after our recent illness," Bavuma signed off. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy: Ahead of semi-final, HERE is what SA skipper Bavuma said about NZ's Williamson

<p>India skipper Rohit Sharma became the batter with most sixes in ICC ODI tournaments during his innings of 28 against Australia on Mar 4 in Dubai in the Champions Trophy. Rohit now has 65 sixes in 42 World Cup and Champions Trophy games, one more than former West Indies batter Chris Gayle's 64 in 52 games.</p>
<p>Rohit reached the milestone with a six off Nathan Ellis in the second over as India chased 265 for a place in the final. The batter was eventually dismissed on a team score of 43 in the eighth over of the chase. Here's the list of batters with the most sixes in ICC ODI tournaments:</p>
<ul>
<li>Rohit Sharma (India) 65 sixes in 42 games</li>
<li>Chris Gayle (West Indies) 64 sixes in 52 games</li>
<li>Glenn Maxwell (Australia) 49 sixes in 35 games</li>
<li>David Miller (South Africa) 45 sixes in 33 games</li>
<li>Sourav Ganguly (India) 42 sixes in 34 games</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/161-and-counting-india-virat-kohli-becomes-world-second-best-fielder-8781674">'161 and counting': India's Virat Kohli becomes world's second best fielder</a></p>
<h2><strong>Rohit-Gill make world record</strong></h2>
<p>During the opening partnership of 30 runs, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill reached the 2000-run mark in the partnership. They reached the milestone in 33 innings&mdash;the third fastest overall in the world. Check the list of batting pairs fastest to 2,000 runs in partnership:</p>
<ul>
<li>Babar Azam &amp; Imam-ul-Haq (Pakistan) - 27 Innings</li>
<li>Hashim Amla &amp; AB de Villiers (South Africa) - 27 Innings</li>
<li>Rohit Sharma &amp; Shubman Gill (India) - 33 Innings</li>
<li>Gautam Gambhir &amp; Virat Kohli &nbsp;(India) - 34 Innings</li>
<li>Jonny Bairstow &amp; Jason Roy (England) - 34 Innings</li>
</ul>
<h2><strong>Australia set target of 265 runs for India </strong><strong>to win</strong></h2>
<p>Earlier, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first in the first semi-final. Skipper Steve Smith top scored for the Aussies with 73 before missing out a full toss by Mohammed Shami to get clean bowled.</p>
<p>Alex Carey's 61 then took them to 264 in 49.3 overs. For India, Shami picked up 3/48 while Jadeja and Chakaravarthy chipped in with two wickets each.</p>

Rohit reached the milestone with a six off Nathan Ellis in the second over as India chased 265 for a place in the final. The batter was eventually dismissed on a team score of 43 in the eighth over of the chase. Cricket Sports

India skipper Rohit Sharma became the batter with most sixes in ICC ODI tournaments during his innings of 28 against Australia on Mar 4 in Dubai in the Champions Trophy. Rohit now has 65 sixes in 42 World Cup and Champions Trophy games, one more than former West Indies batter Chris Gayle's 64 in 52 games. Rohit reached the milestone with a six off Nathan Ellis in the second over as India chased 265 for a place in the final. The batter was eventually dismissed on a team score of 43 in the eighth over of the chase. Here's the list of batters with the most sixes in ICC ODI tournaments: Rohit Sharma (India) 65 sixes in 42 games Chris Gayle (West Indies) 64 sixes in 52 games Glenn Maxwell (Australia) 49 sixes in 35 games David Miller (South Africa) 45 sixes in 33 games Sourav Ganguly (India) 42 sixes in 34 games Also Read: '161 and counting': India's Virat Kohli becomes world's second best fielder Rohit-Gill make world record During the opening partnership of 30 runs, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill reached the 2000-run mark in the partnership. They reached the milestone in 33 innings—the third fastest overall in the world. Check the list of batting pairs fastest to 2,000 runs in partnership: Babar Azam & Imam-ul-Haq (Pakistan) - 27 Innings Hashim Amla & AB de Villiers (South Africa) - 27 Innings Rohit Sharma & Shubman Gill (India) - 33 Innings Gautam Gambhir & Virat Kohli (India) - 34 Innings Jonny Bairstow & Jason Roy (England) - 34 Innings Australia set target of 265 runs for India to win Earlier, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first in the first semi-final. Skipper Steve Smith top scored for the Aussies with 73 before missing out a full toss by Mohammed Shami to get clean bowled. Alex Carey's 61 then took them to 264 in 49.3 overs. For India, Shami picked up 3/48 while Jadeja and Chakaravarthy chipped in with two wickets each.

‘65 in 42 matches’:  India skipper Rohit Sharma becomes best hitter in history of ICC ODI tournaments

<p>India player Virat Kohli knocked off another ODI record during the Champions Trophy semi-final against Australia on Mar 4 in Dubai. Kohli took two catches while India were bowling and surpassed former Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting for most catches as a fielder in ODIs.</p>
<p>Kohli, who had previously gone past Mohammed Azharuddin to become the best Indian fielder in ODIs, now has 161 ODI catches to his name&mdash;second only to former Sri Lanka great Mahela Jayawardene.</p>
<p><strong>Also Watch:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/73-and-gone-steve-smith-bats-for-95-balls-then-misses-full-toss-to-get-bowled-in-champions-trophy-semis-australia-vs-india-watch-8778516">'73 and gone': Aussie Steve Smith bats for 95 balls then misses full toss to get bowled</a></p>
<p><strong>Here's the list of fielders with most catches in ODIs:</strong></p>
<p>1. Mahela Jayawardene: 218 catches in 443 ODI innings</p>
<p>2. Virat Kohli: 161 catches in 298 ODI innings</p>
<p>3. Ricky Ponting: 160 catches in 372 ODI innings</p>
<p>4. Mohd. Azharuddin: 156 catches in 332 ODI innings</p>
<p>5. Ross Taylor: 142 catches in 232 ODI innings</p>
<h2><strong>Australia set India 265 to win</strong></h2>
<p>Australia won the toss and elected to bat first against India. The decision was proven wrong quickly as Mohammed Shami dismissed Cooper Connolly for a duck off nine balls.<br><br>Travis Head, India's nemesis in recent ICC tournaments, then took on the India attack and especially Shami as he hit the bowler for four fours in an over.</p>
<p>Rohit then did what former spinner Ravi Ashwin had advised on his YouTube channel a day prior to the match. The skipper handed the ball to mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, and he dismissed Head on the very first ball.</p>
<p>Australia finished the first powerplay of 10 overs at 63/2 with Head making 39 off them off just 33 balls, including five fours and two sixes. At the half-way mark of the innings, i.e., 25 overs, Australia were 125/3 with Smith looking fluent.</p>
<p>With Shami dismissing Smith on 73, Australia were bundled out for 264 in 49.3 overs. For India, Shami took 3/48 while Jadeja and Chakaravarthy picked two wickets apiece.</p>

Kohli, who had previously gone past Azharuddin to become the best Indian fielder in ODIs, now has 161 ODI catches to his name—second only to former Sri Lanka great Mahela Jayawardene. Cricket Sports

India player Virat Kohli knocked off another ODI record during the Champions Trophy semi-final against Australia on Mar 4 in Dubai. Kohli took two catches while India were bowling and surpassed former Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting for most catches as a fielder in ODIs. Kohli, who had previously gone past Mohammed Azharuddin to become the best Indian fielder in ODIs, now has 161 ODI catches to his name—second only to former Sri Lanka great Mahela Jayawardene. Also Watch: '73 and gone': Aussie Steve Smith bats for 95 balls then misses full toss to get bowled Here's the list of fielders with most catches in ODIs: 1. Mahela Jayawardene: 218 catches in 443 ODI innings 2. Virat Kohli: 161 catches in 298 ODI innings 3. Ricky Ponting: 160 catches in 372 ODI innings 4. Mohd. Azharuddin: 156 catches in 332 ODI innings 5. Ross Taylor: 142 catches in 232 ODI innings Australia set India 265 to win Australia won the toss and elected to bat first against India. The decision was proven wrong quickly as Mohammed Shami dismissed Cooper Connolly for a duck off nine balls. Travis Head, India's nemesis in recent ICC tournaments, then took on the India attack and especially Shami as he hit the bowler for four fours in an over. Rohit then did what former spinner Ravi Ashwin had advised on his YouTube channel a day prior to the match. The skipper handed the ball to mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, and he dismissed Head on the very first ball. Australia finished the first powerplay of 10 overs at 63/2 with Head making 39 off them off just 33 balls, including five fours and two sixes. At the half-way mark of the innings, i.e., 25 overs, Australia were 125/3 with Smith looking fluent. With Shami dismissing Smith on 73, Australia were bundled out for 264 in 49.3 overs. For India, Shami took 3/48 while Jadeja and Chakaravarthy picked two wickets apiece.

'161 and counting': India's Virat Kohli becomes world's second best fielder

<p>South Africa hold the edge over New Zealand in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> semi-final due to their superior class and power, according to former Australian captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ricky-ponting">Ricky Ponting</a>. While he acknowledges New Zealand&rsquo;s capabilities, Ponting believes South Africa&rsquo;s deep batting lineup makes them favourites to advance.</p>
<p>New Zealand enter the knockout stage after a heavy defeat to India in Dubai, whereas South Africa have momentum on their side following a dominant seven-wicket win against England. Ponting highlighted that, much like India, South Africa&rsquo;s batting depth gives them an advantage.</p>
<p>&ldquo;If I compare both teams, South Africa has that extra bit of class. They bat deep and might have a little too much power for New Zealand,&rdquo; Ponting said on ICC Review. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m backing South Africa to win, even though I&rsquo;ve praised New Zealand.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/73-and-gone-steve-smith-bats-for-95-balls-then-misses-full-toss-to-get-bowled-in-champions-trophy-semis-australia-vs-india-watch-8778516">'73 and gone': Aussie Steve Smith bats for 95 balls then misses full toss to get bowled in Champions Trophy semis vs India - WATCH</a></strong></p>
<p>Ponting emphasised the importance of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kane-williamson">Kane Williamson</a>&rsquo;s role, stating that top players must step up in crucial moments. &ldquo;Williamson needs to score runs in this game. Big games require big performances, and he is a big-match player. He knows the magnitude of this semifinal, and I wouldn&rsquo;t be surprised if he delivers,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<h2>'Klaasen is crucial for SA'</h2>
<p>After struggling against Pakistan (1) and Bangladesh (5), Williamson regained form with a 120-ball 81 against India, which could boost his confidence. However, Ponting feels South Africa&rsquo;s top and middle-order batters&mdash;Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, David Miller, and Heinrich Klaasen&mdash;could pose serious challenges for New Zealand.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Klaasen is crucial because he plays spin exceptionally well and is a clean hitter. If he comes in around the 30-over mark with South Africa only a few wickets down, he could be truly dangerous,&rdquo; Ponting added.</p>
<p>Ponting also pointed out key match-ups that could influence the outcome. &ldquo;Rickelton has provided strong starts for South Africa, including a big hundred against Afghanistan. On the other hand, Matt Henry has been outstanding for New Zealand with a five-wicket haul in the group stage. Their battle will be fascinating.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Another potential game-changer, according to Ponting, is the contest between Klaasen and Mitchell Santner. &ldquo;Klaasen thrives against spin, but Santner is a smart left-arm spinner. New Zealand might introduce spin early against him, and whoever wins that duel could decide the match.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Ponting also expressed surprise over New Zealand&rsquo;s inconsistent opening combination, particularly Devon Conway&rsquo;s omission despite his solid performances. &ldquo;They started with Will Young and Conway against Pakistan and Bangladesh but brought in Rachin Ravindra against India. I&rsquo;d stick with Conway at the top for a left-right combination,&rdquo; he suggested.</p>
<p>With both teams aiming for a place in the final, the semifinal promises to be an intense battle where key players and match-ups could determine the outcome.</p>

Cricket, Sports: Ponting also expressed surprise over New Zealand’s inconsistent opening combination, particularly Devon Conway’s omission despite his solid performances

South Africa hold the edge over New Zealand in the Champions Trophy semi-final due to their superior class and power, according to former Australian captain Ricky Ponting. While he acknowledges New Zealand’s capabilities, Ponting believes South Africa’s deep batting lineup makes them favourites to advance. New Zealand enter the knockout stage after a heavy defeat to India in Dubai, whereas South Africa have momentum on their side following a dominant seven-wicket win against England. Ponting highlighted that, much like India, South Africa’s batting depth gives them an advantage. “If I compare both teams, South Africa has that extra bit of class. They bat deep and might have a little too much power for New Zealand,” Ponting said on ICC Review. “I’m backing South Africa to win, even though I’ve praised New Zealand.” Also Read: '73 and gone': Aussie Steve Smith bats for 95 balls then misses full toss to get bowled in Champions Trophy semis vs India - WATCH Ponting emphasised the importance of Kane Williamson’s role, stating that top players must step up in crucial moments. “Williamson needs to score runs in this game. Big games require big performances, and he is a big-match player. He knows the magnitude of this semifinal, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he delivers,” he said. 'Klaasen is crucial for SA' After struggling against Pakistan (1) and Bangladesh (5), Williamson regained form with a 120-ball 81 against India, which could boost his confidence. However, Ponting feels South Africa’s top and middle-order batters—Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, David Miller, and Heinrich Klaasen—could pose serious challenges for New Zealand. “Klaasen is crucial because he plays spin exceptionally well and is a clean hitter. If he comes in around the 30-over mark with South Africa only a few wickets down, he could be truly dangerous,” Ponting added. Ponting also pointed out key match-ups that could influence the outcome. “Rickelton has provided strong starts for South Africa, including a big hundred against Afghanistan. On the other hand, Matt Henry has been outstanding for New Zealand with a five-wicket haul in the group stage. Their battle will be fascinating.” Another potential game-changer, according to Ponting, is the contest between Klaasen and Mitchell Santner. “Klaasen thrives against spin, but Santner is a smart left-arm spinner. New Zealand might introduce spin early against him, and whoever wins that duel could decide the match.” Ponting also expressed surprise over New Zealand’s inconsistent opening combination, particularly Devon Conway’s omission despite his solid performances. “They started with Will Young and Conway against Pakistan and Bangladesh but brought in Rachin Ravindra against India. I’d stick with Conway at the top for a left-right combination,” he suggested. With both teams aiming for a place in the final, the semifinal promises to be an intense battle where key players and match-ups could determine the outcome.

Champions Trophy: South Africa have bit more class and power compared to NZ: Former Australia captain

<p>Aussie batter Steve Smith survived a close call during the Champions Trophy semi-final against India on Tuesday (Mar 4) in Dubai. The batter was very lucky, as the bails didn't dislodge despite the ball hitting the stumps on a shot played by Smith off Axar Patel.</p>
<p>The incident happened on the last ball of the 14th over when Axar pitched a delivery on good length and Smith defended on the front foot. The ball then travelled to stumps and hit them, but the bails didn't get dislodged. The incident left the Indian fielders in complete shock and disbelief. Have a look at the video below:</p>
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<p>Earlier, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first against India. The decision was proven wrong quickly as Mohammed Shami dismissed Cooper Connolly for a duck off nine balls.</p>
<p><strong>Also Read:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pak-vs-nz-t20-series-babar-rizwan-dropped-from-pakistans-squad-8777806">PAK vs NZ T20 series: Babar, Rizwan dropped from Pakistan's squad</a></p>
<p>Travis Head, India's nemesis in recent ICC tournaments, then took on the India attack and especially Shami as he hit the bowler for four fours in an over.</p>
<p>Rohit then did what former spinner Ravi Ashwin had advised on his YouTube channel a day prior to the match. The skipper handed the ball to mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, and he dismissed Head on the very first ball.</p>
<p>Australia finished the first powerplay of 10 overs at 63/2 with Head making 39 off them off just 33 balls, including five fours and two sixes.</p>
<p>After those two wickets, Smith started the rebuild with Marnus Labuschagne, and the duo added 56 runs for the third wicket before Ravindra Jadeja trapped Labuschagne LBW on a personal score of 29. The partnership, however, did take Australia past 100.</p>
<p>At the half-way mark of the innings, i.e., 25 overs, Australia were 125/3 with Smith looking fluent at 44 in 64 balls with the help of three fours.</p>

The incident happened on the last ball of the 14th over when Axar pitched a delivery on good length and Smith defended on the front foot. The ball travelled to stumps and hit them, but the bails didn't get dislodged. Cricket Sports

Aussie batter Steve Smith survived a close call during the Champions Trophy semi-final against India on Tuesday (Mar 4) in Dubai. The batter was very lucky, as the bails didn't dislodge despite the ball hitting the stumps on a shot played by Smith off Axar Patel. The incident happened on the last ball of the 14th over when Axar pitched a delivery on good length and Smith defended on the front foot. The ball then travelled to stumps and hit them, but the bails didn't get dislodged. The incident left the Indian fielders in complete shock and disbelief. Have a look at the video below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by ICC (@icc) Earlier, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first against India. The decision was proven wrong quickly as Mohammed Shami dismissed Cooper Connolly for a duck off nine balls. Also Read: PAK vs NZ T20 series: Babar, Rizwan dropped from Pakistan's squad Travis Head, India's nemesis in recent ICC tournaments, then took on the India attack and especially Shami as he hit the bowler for four fours in an over. Rohit then did what former spinner Ravi Ashwin had advised on his YouTube channel a day prior to the match. The skipper handed the ball to mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, and he dismissed Head on the very first ball. Australia finished the first powerplay of 10 overs at 63/2 with Head making 39 off them off just 33 balls, including five fours and two sixes. After those two wickets, Smith started the rebuild with Marnus Labuschagne, and the duo added 56 runs for the third wicket before Ravindra Jadeja trapped Labuschagne LBW on a personal score of 29. The partnership, however, did take Australia past 100. At the half-way mark of the innings, i.e., 25 overs, Australia were 125/3 with Smith looking fluent at 44 in 64 balls with the help of three fours.

Champions Trophy, IND vs AUS: WATCH | LUCKY Smith survives as bails don’t come off despite ball hitting stumps

<p>Aussie skipper Steve Smith top scored for his team against India in the Champions Trophy semi-final on Mar 4, but his dismissal was rather a lame one. After being on the crease for 95 deliveries and scoring 73 runs, Smith missed a juicy full-toss ball from Shami on the stumps and was clean-bowled.</p>
<p>The wicket came in the 37th over at a time when Australia were looking good for a score of 300. The dismissal, which came with Australia two short of 200, sparked a little collapse as the Kangaroos were bowled out for 264 in 49.3 overs. Have a look at the dismissal below:</p>
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<p>Smith had survived a close call in the 14th over as well when the ball, after he defended, rolled back to hit the stumps, but the bails didn't dislodge.</p>
<p><strong>Also Read:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-scheduling-is-out-of-our-control-nzs-latham-ahead-semi-final-against-sa-8778201">'Scheduling is out of our control', NZ's Latham ahead semi-final against SA</a></p>
<p>Earlier, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first against India. The decision was proven wrong quickly as Mohammed Shami dismissed Cooper Connolly for a duck off nine balls.</p>
<p>Travis Head, India's nemesis in recent ICC tournaments, then took on the India attack and especially Shami as he hit the bowler for four fours in an over.</p>
<p>Rohit then did what former spinner Ravi Ashwin had advised on his YouTube channel a day prior to the match. The skipper handed the ball to mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, and he dismissed Head on the very first ball.</p>
<p>Australia finished the first powerplay of 10 overs at 63/2 with Head making 39 off them off just 33 balls, including five fours and two sixes. At the half-way mark of the innings, i.e., 25 overs, Australia were 125/3 with Smith looking fluent.</p>
<p>For India, Shami was the pick of the bowlers with the figures of 3/48, while Ravindra Jadeja and Varun Chakaravarthy chipped in with two wickets each.</p>

Champions Trophy, India vs Australia: The wicket came against the run of play in the 37th over at a time when Australia were looking good for a score of 300. Cricket Sports

Aussie skipper Steve Smith top scored for his team against India in the Champions Trophy semi-final on Mar 4, but his dismissal was rather a lame one. After being on the crease for 95 deliveries and scoring 73 runs, Smith missed a juicy full-toss ball from Shami on the stumps and was clean-bowled. The wicket came in the 37th over at a time when Australia were looking good for a score of 300. The dismissal, which came with Australia two short of 200, sparked a little collapse as the Kangaroos were bowled out for 264 in 49.3 overs. Have a look at the dismissal below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by ICC (@icc) Smith had survived a close call in the 14th over as well when the ball, after he defended, rolled back to hit the stumps, but the bails didn't dislodge. Also Read: 'Scheduling is out of our control', NZ's Latham ahead semi-final against SA Earlier, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first against India. The decision was proven wrong quickly as Mohammed Shami dismissed Cooper Connolly for a duck off nine balls. Travis Head, India's nemesis in recent ICC tournaments, then took on the India attack and especially Shami as he hit the bowler for four fours in an over. Rohit then did what former spinner Ravi Ashwin had advised on his YouTube channel a day prior to the match. The skipper handed the ball to mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, and he dismissed Head on the very first ball. Australia finished the first powerplay of 10 overs at 63/2 with Head making 39 off them off just 33 balls, including five fours and two sixes. At the half-way mark of the innings, i.e., 25 overs, Australia were 125/3 with Smith looking fluent. For India, Shami was the pick of the bowlers with the figures of 3/48, while Ravindra Jadeja and Varun Chakaravarthy chipped in with two wickets each.

'73 and gone': Aussie Steve Smith bats for 95 balls then misses full toss to get bowled in Champions Trophy semis vs India - WATCH

<p data-start="0" data-end="352">New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Tom Latham stressed his team's "anywhere, anytime" mindset ahead of their ICC <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> semi-final clash against South Africa. Acknowledging that tournament scheduling is beyond their control, Latham said that their focus remains on delivering their best performance, regardless of the conditions or venue.</p>
<p data-start="354" data-end="647">Returning from Dubai, where they struggled on a slow and low pitch against India, New Zealand is now preparing to adjust back to Lahore&rsquo;s conditions in time for their crucial semifinal on Wednesday. Speaking to the media, Latham made it clear that the Black Caps are not looking for excuses.</p>
<p data-start="649" data-end="888">"(The scheduling) is something that is out of our control," <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/tom-latham">Latham</a> said, as quoted by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/icc">ICC</a>. "For us, it&rsquo;s about turning up for each game, no matter where it is, and playing our best brand of cricket. Our focus now is on South Africa."</p>
<p data-start="649" data-end="888"><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-ind-vs-aus-watch-lucky-smith-survives-as-bails-dont-come-off-despite-ball-hitting-stumps-8777990">Champions Trophy, IND vs AUS: WATCH | LUCKY Smith survives as bails don't come off despite ball hitting stumps</a></strong></p>
<p data-start="890" data-end="1243">Reflecting on past matches in Lahore, Latham noted that conditions often improve for batting later in the game. "We&rsquo;ve seen throughout the games in Pakistan that towards the back end, a little bit of juice settles in, and sometimes it can be a bit easier to bat. We&rsquo;ll have to wait and see what kind of surface we get and adapt accordingly," he added.</p>
<p data-start="1245" data-end="1537">New Zealand will take confidence from their recent win over South Africa at the same venue during a tri-series with Pakistan. In that match, they chased down 304 with eight balls to spare. Latham confirmed that the Kiwis would draw on that experience heading into the high-stakes encounter.</p>
<p data-start="1539" data-end="1761">"We were fortunate to have played a tri-series in Pakistan, including matches against South Africa," he said. "We&rsquo;ll look back on those experiences and give it our best shot in a semifinal, which is a great opportunity."</p>
<p data-start="1763" data-end="1998">Despite their recent loss to India, New Zealand has been in strong form in 2025, winning eight of their ten ODIs, including the Tri-series final against Pakistan. However, none of those games carried the pressure of an ICC semi-final.</p>
<h2 data-start="1763" data-end="1998">'SA has well-rounded squad'</h2>
<p data-start="2000" data-end="2291">Meanwhile, South Africa has been in formidable form, having already reached two ICC finals in the past year&mdash;the 2024 T20 World Cup final and the upcoming World Test Championship final against Australia. Latham acknowledged the challenge ahead, praising their opponents&rsquo; well-rounded squad.</p>
<p data-start="2293" data-end="2538">"They have been playing some fantastic cricket," he said. "They&rsquo;ve got match-winners across their squad and have performed well in these conditions. We know the hard work required to reach the final, and we respect how strong South Africa is."</p>
<p data-start="2540" data-end="2699" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">"They&rsquo;ve got all bases covered&mdash;batting, bowling, and fielding. It should be a fantastic game, and I&rsquo;m sure both teams are looking forward to it," he signed off.</p>
<p data-start="2540" data-end="2699" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

Cricket, Sports: Returning from Dubai, where they struggled on a slow and low pitch against India, Kiwis are now preparing to adjust back to Lahore’s conditions

New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Tom Latham stressed his team's "anywhere, anytime" mindset ahead of their ICC Champions Trophy semi-final clash against South Africa. Acknowledging that tournament scheduling is beyond their control, Latham said that their focus remains on delivering their best performance, regardless of the conditions or venue. Returning from Dubai, where they struggled on a slow and low pitch against India, New Zealand is now preparing to adjust back to Lahore’s conditions in time for their crucial semifinal on Wednesday. Speaking to the media, Latham made it clear that the Black Caps are not looking for excuses. "(The scheduling) is something that is out of our control," Latham said, as quoted by the ICC. "For us, it’s about turning up for each game, no matter where it is, and playing our best brand of cricket. Our focus now is on South Africa." Also Read: Champions Trophy, IND vs AUS: WATCH | LUCKY Smith survives as bails don't come off despite ball hitting stumps Reflecting on past matches in Lahore, Latham noted that conditions often improve for batting later in the game. "We’ve seen throughout the games in Pakistan that towards the back end, a little bit of juice settles in, and sometimes it can be a bit easier to bat. We’ll have to wait and see what kind of surface we get and adapt accordingly," he added. New Zealand will take confidence from their recent win over South Africa at the same venue during a tri-series with Pakistan. In that match, they chased down 304 with eight balls to spare. Latham confirmed that the Kiwis would draw on that experience heading into the high-stakes encounter. "We were fortunate to have played a tri-series in Pakistan, including matches against South Africa," he said. "We’ll look back on those experiences and give it our best shot in a semifinal, which is a great opportunity." Despite their recent loss to India, New Zealand has been in strong form in 2025, winning eight of their ten ODIs, including the Tri-series final against Pakistan. However, none of those games carried the pressure of an ICC semi-final. 'SA has well-rounded squad' Meanwhile, South Africa has been in formidable form, having already reached two ICC finals in the past year—the 2024 T20 World Cup final and the upcoming World Test Championship final against Australia. Latham acknowledged the challenge ahead, praising their opponents’ well-rounded squad. "They have been playing some fantastic cricket," he said. "They’ve got match-winners across their squad and have performed well in these conditions. We know the hard work required to reach the final, and we respect how strong South Africa is." "They’ve got all bases covered—batting, bowling, and fielding. It should be a fantastic game, and I’m sure both teams are looking forward to it," he signed off. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy: ‘Scheduling is out of our control,’ NZ’s Latham ahead of semi-final against SA

<p>Captain Mohammad Rizwan and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/babar-azam">Babar Azam</a> were dropped from Pakistan's squad for the upcoming five-match T20 series in New Zealand, announced on Tuesday (March 4). Salman Ali Agha has been appointed as the new T20 captain, with all-rounder Shadab Khan making a return to the squad as vice captain.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mohammad-rizwan">Rizwan</a>, however, retains his leadership role in the ODI squad despite Pakistan&rsquo;s disappointing performance in the Champions Trophy. The selectors have refrained from making wholesale changes to the ODI squad, retaining most players despite their struggles in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025.</p>
<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-linda-mcmahon-once-wwe-boss-now-appointed-as-donald-trumps-education-secretary-8776634">Who is Linda McMahon? Once WWE boss, now appointed as Donald Trump's education secretary"</a></strong></p>
<p>Babar Azam remains in the ODI squad, but batters Saud Shakil and Kamran Ghulam have been dropped. Additionally, fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf have been sidelined from the ODI setup.</p>
<p>Pakistan&rsquo;s tour of New Zealand, beginning March 16, includes five T20Is and three ODIs. However, the team will be without opener Saim Ayub, who is still recovering from an ankle injury. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/fakhar-zaman">Fakhar Zaman</a> has also been ruled out after sustaining an injury during the first match of the Champions Trophy. Fakhar had only recently returned to the national squad in a three-nation tournament, while Saim suffered his injury while fielding in the Test series against South Africa earlier this year.</p>
<h2>Pakistan squads for New Zealand tour:</h2>
<p><strong>ODI squad:</strong><br>Muhammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Wasim Jr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir.</p>
<p><strong>T20 squad:</strong><br>Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Muqeem, Usman Khan.</p>

Cricket, Sports: Mohammad Rizwan, however, retains his leadership role in the ODI squad despite Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Captain Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam were dropped from Pakistan's squad for the upcoming five-match T20 series in New Zealand, announced on Tuesday (March 4). Salman Ali Agha has been appointed as the new T20 captain, with all-rounder Shadab Khan making a return to the squad as vice captain. Rizwan, however, retains his leadership role in the ODI squad despite Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the Champions Trophy. The selectors have refrained from making wholesale changes to the ODI squad, retaining most players despite their struggles in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Also Read: Who is Linda McMahon? Once WWE boss, now appointed as Donald Trump's education secretary" Babar Azam remains in the ODI squad, but batters Saud Shakil and Kamran Ghulam have been dropped. Additionally, fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf have been sidelined from the ODI setup. Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand, beginning March 16, includes five T20Is and three ODIs. However, the team will be without opener Saim Ayub, who is still recovering from an ankle injury. Fakhar Zaman has also been ruled out after sustaining an injury during the first match of the Champions Trophy. Fakhar had only recently returned to the national squad in a three-nation tournament, while Saim suffered his injury while fielding in the Test series against South Africa earlier this year. Pakistan squads for New Zealand tour: ODI squad: Muhammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Wasim Jr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir. T20 squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Muqeem, Usman Khan.

PAK vs NZ T20 series: Babar, Rizwan dropped from Pakistan squad

<p>Former India spinner Ravi Ashwin says that skipper Rohit Sharma should give the new ball to mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy in the first semi-final against Australia on Mar 4 in Dubai. The comments came as a tactic to get Aussie opener Travis Head out early. Head has been India's Achilles heel in recent times, including the ICC tournaments.</p>
<p>&ldquo;New ball and give it to Varun and ask him to bowl over the stumps to Travis Head,&rdquo; Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Travis Head shows all his three stumps and then clears his leg and hit it over the field. Varun Chakravarthy with new ball might give India an edge. It will be a mouth watering contest,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p><strong>Also Read:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-this-arrangement-made-sense-to-us-says-smith-on-australia-and-sa-travelling-to-dubai-8776902">'This arrangement made sense to us,' says Smith on Australia and SA travelling to Dubai</a></p>
<p>&ldquo;I would be very surprised if Travis Head will take on a back seat against Varun. He would love to go aggressive and it will high-risk option. Either he will give Australia good start or India will get him out cheaply.</p>
<p>&ldquo;If Travis Head doesn&rsquo;t take him on, then keeps Varun on for five overs. This Australian team has too many right-handedness and for that we have Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. If I am India then I won&rsquo;t be worried about this bowling line-up of India," added the former spinner.</p>
<p>Head was the point of difference between the two sides when Australia beat India in 2023 ODI World Cup Final on November 19, 2023 and WTC Final in June 2023.</p>
<p>In the ongoing tournament though, Head has not been able to score as freely as he would have liked. On the two occasions Head has batted, the left-hand power hitter has scored 65 runs with 59 not out coming in one of those innings.</p>
<p>If India manage to get Head out early, they'd surely have a better chance at winning the semi-final and proceed to the title showdown.&nbsp;</p>

Champions Trophy: Head was the point of difference between the two sides when Australia beat India in the ODI World Cup Final in November  2023 and WTC Final in June 2023. Cricket Sports

Former India spinner Ravi Ashwin says that skipper Rohit Sharma should give the new ball to mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy in the first semi-final against Australia on Mar 4 in Dubai. The comments came as a tactic to get Aussie opener Travis Head out early. Head has been India's Achilles heel in recent times, including the ICC tournaments. “New ball and give it to Varun and ask him to bowl over the stumps to Travis Head,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. “Travis Head shows all his three stumps and then clears his leg and hit it over the field. Varun Chakravarthy with new ball might give India an edge. It will be a mouth watering contest,” he said. Also Read: 'This arrangement made sense to us,' says Smith on Australia and SA travelling to Dubai “I would be very surprised if Travis Head will take on a back seat against Varun. He would love to go aggressive and it will high-risk option. Either he will give Australia good start or India will get him out cheaply. “If Travis Head doesn’t take him on, then keeps Varun on for five overs. This Australian team has too many right-handedness and for that we have Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. If I am India then I won’t be worried about this bowling line-up of India," added the former spinner. Head was the point of difference between the two sides when Australia beat India in 2023 ODI World Cup Final on November 19, 2023 and WTC Final in June 2023. In the ongoing tournament though, Head has not been able to score as freely as he would have liked. On the two occasions Head has batted, the left-hand power hitter has scored 65 runs with 59 not out coming in one of those innings. If India manage to get Head out early, they'd surely have a better chance at winning the semi-final and proceed to the title showdown.

Champions Trophy: Ravi Ashwin reveals how to get Travis Head out early in semis

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>IND vs AUS, Champions Trophy 2025 Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue: </b>A place in the final of the Champions Trophy 2025 is up for grabs as India take on Australia in the first semifinal on Tuesday (Mar 4). The contest at the Dubai International Stadium will be a repeat of the 2023 ODI World Cup final as India and Australia take centrestage. Ahead of the final group stage contest between India and Australia, here are all the details of the Champions Trophy 2025 clash.&nbsp;</p>
<h2 class="left"><strong>Where to watch the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match Live Streaming online on OTT?</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India.</p>
<h2 class="left"><strong>Where to watch the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match on TV?</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will be telecast on Star Sports Network in India.<o:p></o:p><strong></strong></p>
<h2 class="left"><strong>Which stadium will host the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match?</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will be played at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal left"><strong>What time will the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match start?</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will start at 2:30 PM IST on Tuesday (Mar 4) with the toss taking place at 2:00 PM IST.<strong></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-ex-spinner-kumble-says-varun-got-opportunity-because-india-qualified-for-semis-8775071" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Champions Trophy: Ex-spinner Kumble says Varun got 'opportunity because India qualified for semis'</a><br></strong></p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Champions Trophy 2025: IND vs AUS Squads</strong><o:p></o:p></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>India: </strong>Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Australia: </strong>Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Adam Zampa, Cooper Connolly.</p>

IND vs AUS Free Live Streaming |  Watch the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal! Get all the details on live streaming, match time, venue for the March 4 clash in Dubai.

IND vs AUS, Champions Trophy 2025 Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue: A place in the final of the Champions Trophy 2025 is up for grabs as India take on Australia in the first semifinal on Tuesday (Mar 4). The contest at the Dubai International Stadium will be a repeat of the 2023 ODI World Cup final as India and Australia take centrestage. Ahead of the final group stage contest between India and Australia, here are all the details of the Champions Trophy 2025 clash. Where to watch the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match Live Streaming online on OTT? The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India. Where to watch the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match on TV? The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will be telecast on Star Sports Network in India. Which stadium will host the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match? The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will be played at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. What time will the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match start? The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will start at 2:30 PM IST on Tuesday (Mar 4) with the toss taking place at 2:00 PM IST. ALSO READ | Champions Trophy: Ex-spinner Kumble says Varun got 'opportunity because India qualified for semis' Champions Trophy 2025: IND vs AUS Squads India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy. Australia: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Adam Zampa, Cooper Connolly.

IND vs AUS Free Live Streaming | When and where to watch Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal India vs Australia live online

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>SA vs NZ, Champions Trophy 2025 Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue: </b>A place in the Champions Trophy 2025 will be up for grabs as New Zealand and South Africa battle it out in the second semifinal on Wednesday (Mar 5). South Africa were undefeated in the group stage while New Zealand qualified despite a defeat against India on Sunday. Ahead of the semifinal contest between South Africa and New Zealand, here are all the details of the Champions Trophy 2025 clash.&nbsp;</p>
<h2 class="left"><strong>Where to watch the South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match on TV?</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match will be telecast on Star Sports Network in India.<o:p></o:p></p>
<h2 class="left"><strong>Where to watch the South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match Live Streaming online on OTT?</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India.</p>
<h2 class="left"><strong>Which stadium will host the South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match?</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match will be played at the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal left"><strong>What time will the South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match start?</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match will start at 2:30 PM IST on Wednesday (Mar 5) with the toss taking place at 2:00 PM IST.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal left"><strong>Champions Trophy 2025: SA vs NZ Head-to-Head Stats</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Overall:</b> South Africa 42 wins, New Zealand 26 wins, no results 5</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal left"><strong>Champions Trophy 2025: SA vs NZ Pitch Report</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Spinners should get good help at the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore as South Africa and New Zealand look to make the most of the conditions. The pitch has historically favoured fast bowlers, so it will be interesting to see how it works on the match day.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal left"><strong>Champions Trophy 2025: SA vs NZ Weather Report</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The contest should go ahead without any rain interruption as both South Africa and New Zealand search for a place in the final of the Champions Trophy 2025. The pleasant weather conditions should favour the bowlers, while the temperature would range between 25 and 30 degrees on the match day.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-aus-live-streaming-free-when-and-where-to-watch-champions-trophy-2025-semifinal-india-vs-australia-live-for-free-online-mobile-and-tv-8775654" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">IND vs AUS Live Streaming Free | When and where to watch Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal India vs Australia live online</a><br></strong></p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Champions Trophy 2025: SA vs NZ Squads</strong><o:p></o:p></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>South Africa: </strong>Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch. Travelling reserve: Kwena Maphaka.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>New Zealand: </strong>Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O'Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Jacob Duffy.</p>

Sports, Cricket:  A place in the Champions Trophy 2025 will be up for grabs as New Zealand and South Africa battle it out in the second semifinal on Wednesday (Mar 5).

SA vs NZ, Champions Trophy 2025 Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue: A place in the Champions Trophy 2025 will be up for grabs as New Zealand and South Africa battle it out in the second semifinal on Wednesday (Mar 5). South Africa were undefeated in the group stage while New Zealand qualified despite a defeat against India on Sunday. Ahead of the semifinal contest between South Africa and New Zealand, here are all the details of the Champions Trophy 2025 clash. Where to watch the South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match on TV? The South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match will be telecast on Star Sports Network in India. Where to watch the South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match Live Streaming online on OTT? The South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India. Which stadium will host the South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match? The South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match will be played at the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore. What time will the South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match start? The South Africa vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match will start at 2:30 PM IST on Wednesday (Mar 5) with the toss taking place at 2:00 PM IST. Champions Trophy 2025: SA vs NZ Head-to-Head Stats Overall: South Africa 42 wins, New Zealand 26 wins, no results 5 Champions Trophy 2025: SA vs NZ Pitch Report Spinners should get good help at the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore as South Africa and New Zealand look to make the most of the conditions. The pitch has historically favoured fast bowlers, so it will be interesting to see how it works on the match day. Champions Trophy 2025: SA vs NZ Weather Report The contest should go ahead without any rain interruption as both South Africa and New Zealand search for a place in the final of the Champions Trophy 2025. The pleasant weather conditions should favour the bowlers, while the temperature would range between 25 and 30 degrees on the match day. ALSO READ | IND vs AUS Live Streaming Free | When and where to watch Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal India vs Australia live online Champions Trophy 2025: SA vs NZ Squads South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch. Travelling reserve: Kwena Maphaka. New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O'Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Jacob Duffy.

SA vs NZ Champions Trophy 2025: All you need to know, check live streaming, head-to-head, stats, pitch report, squad

<p>Australia skipper Steve Smith has backed the decision of his team and South Africa travelling to Dubai ahead of the India vs New Zealand fixture on Mar 2. With the first semi-final set to be played on Tuesday (Mar 4) in Dubai, both teams were waiting on who gets to play in UAE.&nbsp;</p>
<p>After India beat New Zealand and finished on top of Group A, Australia stayed in Dubai but South Africa had to travel back after a 18-hour sojourn in Dubai. The Proteas will now play New Zealand in the second semi-final on March 5 in Lahore, Pakistan.</p>
<p><strong>Also Read:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-countering-indias-spin-attack-on-a-dry-wicket-will-be-key-says-australia-skipper-steve-smith-8775228">&lsquo;Countering India&rsquo;s spin attack on a dry wicket will be key,&rsquo; says Australia skipper Steve Smith</a></p>
<p>"We guessed right in the end," Australia captain Steven Smith said during the pre-match press conference on Mar 3.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"So yeah, ideal to be here and have a couple of days' preparation. I think had we stayed and waited for last night's result, we would have had to have flown here today and play tomorrow.</p>
<p>"We wouldn't get a chance to train on the surface or get used to the conditions that we have at the academy and if we had to go back, we would have just got on the same plane back as New Zealand and had a day there before playing. So this arrangement made sense to us," he added.</p>
<p>The Dubai drama has been called out by many former and current players and tagged as India getting one venue advantage while other teams played on different venues across Pakistan including their matches against India in Dubai.</p>
<p>India skipper Rohit Sharma, however, countered this and said: "Every time, the pitch is giving you different challenges. The three matches that we played here, the pitch has behaved differently. This is not our home, this is Dubai. We don't play so many matches here, and this is new for us too."</p>

The Dubai drama has been called out by many former and current players and tagged as India getting one venue advantage while other teams played on different venues.

Australia skipper Steve Smith has backed the decision of his team and South Africa travelling to Dubai ahead of the India vs New Zealand fixture on Mar 2. With the first semi-final set to be played on Tuesday (Mar 4) in Dubai, both teams were waiting on who gets to play in UAE. After India beat New Zealand and finished on top of Group A, Australia stayed in Dubai but South Africa had to travel back after a 18-hour sojourn in Dubai. The Proteas will now play New Zealand in the second semi-final on March 5 in Lahore, Pakistan. Also Read: ‘Countering India’s spin attack on a dry wicket will be key,’ says Australia skipper Steve Smith "We guessed right in the end," Australia captain Steven Smith said during the pre-match press conference on Mar 3. "So yeah, ideal to be here and have a couple of days' preparation. I think had we stayed and waited for last night's result, we would have had to have flown here today and play tomorrow. "We wouldn't get a chance to train on the surface or get used to the conditions that we have at the academy and if we had to go back, we would have just got on the same plane back as New Zealand and had a day there before playing. So this arrangement made sense to us," he added. The Dubai drama has been called out by many former and current players and tagged as India getting one venue advantage while other teams played on different venues across Pakistan including their matches against India in Dubai. India skipper Rohit Sharma, however, countered this and said: "Every time, the pitch is giving you different challenges. The three matches that we played here, the pitch has behaved differently. This is not our home, this is Dubai. We don't play so many matches here, and this is new for us too."

Champions Trophy: 'This arrangement made sense to us,' says Smith on Australia and SA travelling to Dubai

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">India captain Rohit Sharma has been in the spotlight as his side prepares for the Champions Trophy 2025 knockout stage. The stage is set for the Indian team as they take on Australia in the semis, but captain Rohit Shara has found himself in the middle of a political row over his fitness. It all started with Congress national spokesperson Shama Mohamed calling Rohit &ldquo;fat for a sportsperson,&rdquo; leading to a debate surrounding the fitness of the Indian captain.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">However, Rohit has been defended by multiple former players while Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Mansukh Mandaviya criticised Mohamed for her remarks. So the big question is, is Rohit fit and has he proven his fitness despite the criticism? Here&rsquo;s what we know.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has implemented a yo-yo test to check the fitness of the players before a series or a tournament starts. While all the results are not made public, one of Rohit&rsquo;s recent yo-yo tests was taken in the build-up to the ODI World Cup in 2023. He scored 18.6, which is good enough to earn a fitness NOC in a squad.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What is a yo-yo test?</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The Yo-Yo Test involves running over a distance of 20m at different speeds. The players need to cover a distance of 2 km during the test. The fast bowlers are required to cover the distance in 8 minutes and 15 seconds while other players need to cover the distance in 8 minutes and 30 seconds.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">During the test, two cones are kept at 20 metres apart and players need to run from cone A to Cone B and then return back. The players start with a beep and have to reach Cone B before the second beep and then return to Cone A before the third beep.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-aus-live-streaming-free-when-and-where-to-watch-champions-trophy-2025-semifinal-india-vs-australia-live-for-free-online-mobile-and-tv-8775654" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">IND vs AUS Live Streaming Free | When and where to watch Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal India vs Australia live online</a></strong></p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Who introduced the yo-yo test?</b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The yo-yo test was introduced by Danish Soccer physiologist Dr Jens Bangsbo in the 1990s.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>When did Indian cricket team adopt yo-yo test?</b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Indian cricket team adopted the yo-yo test in 2017, ahead of India&rsquo;s tour of Sri Lanka. It was brought by former India strength and conditioning coach Shankar Basu.</p>

Sports, Cricket: The stage is set for the Indian team as they take on Australia but captain Rohit Shara has found himself in the middle of a political row over his fitness.

India captain Rohit Sharma has been in the spotlight as his side prepares for the Champions Trophy 2025 knockout stage. The stage is set for the Indian team as they take on Australia in the semis, but captain Rohit Shara has found himself in the middle of a political row over his fitness. It all started with Congress national spokesperson Shama Mohamed calling Rohit “fat for a sportsperson,” leading to a debate surrounding the fitness of the Indian captain. However, Rohit has been defended by multiple former players while Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Mansukh Mandaviya criticised Mohamed for her remarks. So the big question is, is Rohit fit and has he proven his fitness despite the criticism? Here’s what we know. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has implemented a yo-yo test to check the fitness of the players before a series or a tournament starts. While all the results are not made public, one of Rohit’s recent yo-yo tests was taken in the build-up to the ODI World Cup in 2023. He scored 18.6, which is good enough to earn a fitness NOC in a squad. What is a yo-yo test? The Yo-Yo Test involves running over a distance of 20m at different speeds. The players need to cover a distance of 2 km during the test. The fast bowlers are required to cover the distance in 8 minutes and 15 seconds while other players need to cover the distance in 8 minutes and 30 seconds. During the test, two cones are kept at 20 metres apart and players need to run from cone A to Cone B and then return back. The players start with a beep and have to reach Cone B before the second beep and then return to Cone A before the third beep. ALSO READ | IND vs AUS Live Streaming Free | When and where to watch Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal India vs Australia live online Who introduced the yo-yo test? The yo-yo test was introduced by Danish Soccer physiologist Dr Jens Bangsbo in the 1990s. When did Indian cricket team adopt yo-yo test? Indian cricket team adopted the yo-yo test in 2017, ahead of India’s tour of Sri Lanka. It was brought by former India strength and conditioning coach Shankar Basu.

Rohit Sharma fitness row: What is yo-yo test and did the Indian captain ever pass it? What we know

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IN;">World cricket lost a gem of legend on this day in 2022 when Aussie great Shane Warne was found dead on a vacation in Thailand. Away from his usual broadcast duties, 52-year-old Warne suffered a heart attack caused by atherosclerosis on 4 Mar 2022. Three years on, the legacy of the Australian lives on as he is fondly remembered by cricket fans as one of the greatest of all time. A career glittered with many memorable moments, Warne&rsquo;s tragic death left everyone in shock.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IN;"><strong>What happened to Shane Warne?</strong><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IN;">Having long hanged his boots, Warne was a featured commentator and a renowned broadcaster in his post-playing days. One of the commentators for the Ashes 2021-22, Warne had an excellent time Down Under as Australia won the coveted trophy 4-0. Soon he was off to Thailand&rsquo;s Ko Samui island enjoying time away from his broadcasting role.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IN;">Before 4 Mar 2022, Australian cricket had lost another legendary cricketer Rod Marsh for whom Warne would pay his tribute. The Aussie great took to his X account (then known as Twitter) to post on the death of Marsh.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IN;">However, the worst was to follow for Australian cricket as Warne was pronounced dead in the evening of that same day. While there were suspicions of foul play, it was later revealed that Warne had suffered a heart attack caused by atherosclerosis. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IN;">It took six days for the authorities to bring Warne&rsquo;s body back to his Melbourne home, with his funeral taking place on Mar 20 at Moorabbin Oval.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IN;">ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-aus-live-streaming-free-when-and-where-to-watch-champions-trophy-2025-semifinal-india-vs-australia-live-for-free-online-mobile-and-tv-8775654" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">IND vs AUS Live Streaming Free | When and where to watch Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal India vs Australia live online</a></span></strong></p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IN;"><strong>Legendary career, IPL champion</strong><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IN;">With 708 wickets in Test format, Warne is only bettered by Sri Lanka&rsquo;s Muttiah Muralitharan in terms of stats. In his illustrious career, he won the Ashes on multiple occasions but his greatest achievement was winning the 1999 ODI World Cup in England. On the other hand, he also stamped his authority as one of the best captains in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) helping Rajasthan Royals clinch the title in the inaugural edition of 2008.</span></p>

Sports, Cricket: On 4 Mar 2022, the 52-year-old Warne left us when he suffered a heart attack caused by atherosclerosis .

World cricket lost a gem of legend on this day in 2022 when Aussie great Shane Warne was found dead on a vacation in Thailand. Away from his usual broadcast duties, 52-year-old Warne suffered a heart attack caused by atherosclerosis on 4 Mar 2022. Three years on, the legacy of the Australian lives on as he is fondly remembered by cricket fans as one of the greatest of all time. A career glittered with many memorable moments, Warne’s tragic death left everyone in shock. What happened to Shane Warne? Having long hanged his boots, Warne was a featured commentator and a renowned broadcaster in his post-playing days. One of the commentators for the Ashes 2021-22, Warne had an excellent time Down Under as Australia won the coveted trophy 4-0. Soon he was off to Thailand’s Ko Samui island enjoying time away from his broadcasting role. Before 4 Mar 2022, Australian cricket had lost another legendary cricketer Rod Marsh for whom Warne would pay his tribute. The Aussie great took to his X account (then known as Twitter) to post on the death of Marsh. However, the worst was to follow for Australian cricket as Warne was pronounced dead in the evening of that same day. While there were suspicions of foul play, it was later revealed that Warne had suffered a heart attack caused by atherosclerosis. It took six days for the authorities to bring Warne’s body back to his Melbourne home, with his funeral taking place on Mar 20 at Moorabbin Oval. ALSO READ | IND vs AUS Live Streaming Free | When and where to watch Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal India vs Australia live online Legendary career, IPL champion With 708 wickets in Test format, Warne is only bettered by Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan in terms of stats. In his illustrious career, he won the Ashes on multiple occasions but his greatest achievement was winning the 1999 ODI World Cup in England. On the other hand, he also stamped his authority as one of the best captains in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) helping Rajasthan Royals clinch the title in the inaugural edition of 2008.

On this day: Legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne tragically passed away, here's what happened

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>IND vs AUS, Champions Trophy 2025 Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue:&nbsp;</b>In a repeat of the 2023 ODI World Cup final, India will take on Australia in the first semifinal of the Champions Trophy 2025 on Tuesday (Mar 4). The contest between the two traditional rivals will be one to watch as India search for revenge while Australia look to add another ICC trophy to their cabinet. Ahead of the final group stage contest between India and Australia, here are all the details of the Champions Trophy 2025 clash.&nbsp;</p>
<h2 class="left"><strong>Where to watch the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match on TV?</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will be telecast on Star Sports Network in India.<o:p></o:p></p>
<h2 class="left"><strong>Where to watch the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match Live Streaming online on OTT?</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India.</p>
<h2 class="left"><strong>Which stadium will host the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match?</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will be played at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal left"><strong>What time will the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match start?</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will start at 2:30 PM IST on Tuesday (Mar 4) with the toss taking place at 2:00 PM IST.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal left"><strong>Champions Trophy 2025: IND vs AUS Head-to-Head Stats</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Overall:</b> India 57 wins, Australia 84 wins, no results 10</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal left"><strong>Champions Trophy 2025: IND vs AUS Pitch Report</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Spinners should get good help at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai as India and Australia look to make the most of the conditions. The pitch has historically favoured fast bowlers, so it will be interesting to see how it works on the match day.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal left"><strong>Champions Trophy 2025: IND vs AUS Weather Report</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The contest should go ahead without any rain interruption as both India and Australia look to start on a winning note. The pleasant weather conditions should favour the bowlers, while the temperature would range between 25 and 30 degrees on the match day.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-ex-spinner-kumble-says-varun-got-opportunity-because-india-qualified-for-semis-8775071" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Champions Trophy: Ex-spinner Kumble says Varun got 'opportunity because India qualified for semis'</a><br></strong></p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Champions Trophy 2025: IND vs AUS Squads</strong><o:p></o:p></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>India: </strong>Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Australia: </strong>Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Adam Zampa, Cooper Connolly.</p>

Sports, Cricket: In a repeat of the 2023 ODI World Cup final, India will take on Australia in the first semifinal of the Champions Trophy 2025 on Tuesday (Mar 4).

IND vs AUS, Champions Trophy 2025 Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue: In a repeat of the 2023 ODI World Cup final, India will take on Australia in the first semifinal of the Champions Trophy 2025 on Tuesday (Mar 4). The contest between the two traditional rivals will be one to watch as India search for revenge while Australia look to add another ICC trophy to their cabinet. Ahead of the final group stage contest between India and Australia, here are all the details of the Champions Trophy 2025 clash. Where to watch the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match on TV? The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will be telecast on Star Sports Network in India. Where to watch the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match Live Streaming online on OTT? The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India. Which stadium will host the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match? The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will be played at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. What time will the India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match start? The India vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 match will start at 2:30 PM IST on Tuesday (Mar 4) with the toss taking place at 2:00 PM IST. Champions Trophy 2025: IND vs AUS Head-to-Head Stats Overall: India 57 wins, Australia 84 wins, no results 10 Champions Trophy 2025: IND vs AUS Pitch Report Spinners should get good help at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai as India and Australia look to make the most of the conditions. The pitch has historically favoured fast bowlers, so it will be interesting to see how it works on the match day. Champions Trophy 2025: IND vs AUS Weather Report The contest should go ahead without any rain interruption as both India and Australia look to start on a winning note. The pleasant weather conditions should favour the bowlers, while the temperature would range between 25 and 30 degrees on the match day. ALSO READ | Champions Trophy: Ex-spinner Kumble says Varun got 'opportunity because India qualified for semis' Champions Trophy 2025: IND vs AUS Squads India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy. Australia: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Adam Zampa, Cooper Connolly.

IND vs AUS Champions Trophy 2025: All you need to know, check live streaming, head-to-head, stats, pitch report, squad

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/beth-mooney">Beth Mooney</a> delivered a scintillating unbeaten knock of 96 as the Gujarat Giants thrashed UP Warriorz by 81 runs in a one-sided <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/womens-premier-league">Women's Premier League</a> (WPL) clash on Monday. Mooney fell just short of what could have been the season&rsquo;s first century, but her explosive 59-ball innings, laced with 17 boundaries, propelled the Gujarat Giants to a formidable 186/5.</p>
<p>In response, UP Warriorz crumbled under pressure, managing only 105 in 17.1 overs. The crushing defeat saw them slip from third to fifth in the points table, while Gujarat Giants climbed from the bottom to second place.</p>
<p>Chasing 187, UP Warriorz suffered a disastrous start, slumping to 36/5 by the eighth over. Their batters struggled against the Giants' disciplined bowling attack, failing to mount any resistance.</p>
<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/legendary-mumbai-spinner-padmakar-shivalkar-dies-aged-84-8775423">Legendary Mumbai spinner Padmakar Shivalkar dies aged 84</a></strong></p>
<p>Deandra Dottin (2/14) set the tone with two crucial wickets in the very first over, dismissing Kiran Navgire and Georgia Voll for ducks. Kashvee Gautam (3/11), Meghna Singh (1/21), Tanuja Kanwar (3/17), and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ashleigh-gardner" rel="dofollow">Ashleigh Gardner</a> (1/9) further dismantled the fragile batting lineup.</p>
<p>Grace Harris was the only specialist batter to make an impact, scoring 25 off 30 balls, while Vrinda Dinesh (1), captain Deepti Sharma (6), and Shweta Sehrawat (5) failed to contribute meaningfully. A late 14-ball 28 from Chinelle Henry and a 17-run effort from Uma Chetry reduced the margin of defeat but could not prevent UPW&rsquo;s collapse.</p>
<p>Earlier, the Gujarat Giants posted a competitive total, thanks to Mooney&rsquo;s commanding innings. The left-handed Australian anchored the innings, forming a crucial 101-run partnership with Harleen Deol (45 off 32 balls, six fours) after an early setback with the dismissal of Dayalan Hemalatha (2).</p>
<p>Mooney&rsquo;s aggressive stroke play saw her dispatch boundaries at will, but she was left stranded on 96, falling just short of a well-deserved century. With 10 runs needed for the milestone in the final over, she could only manage five.</p>
<p>Sophie Ecclestone (2/34) was the standout bowler for UP Warriorz, taking the key wickets of Deol and the dangerous Deandra Dottin (17).</p>

Cricket, Sports: UP Warriorz only managed 105 in 17.1 overs. The defeat saw them slip from third to fifth in the points table, while Gujarat Giants climbed to second place

Beth Mooney delivered a scintillating unbeaten knock of 96 as the Gujarat Giants thrashed UP Warriorz by 81 runs in a one-sided Women's Premier League (WPL) clash on Monday. Mooney fell just short of what could have been the season’s first century, but her explosive 59-ball innings, laced with 17 boundaries, propelled the Gujarat Giants to a formidable 186/5. In response, UP Warriorz crumbled under pressure, managing only 105 in 17.1 overs. The crushing defeat saw them slip from third to fifth in the points table, while Gujarat Giants climbed from the bottom to second place. Chasing 187, UP Warriorz suffered a disastrous start, slumping to 36/5 by the eighth over. Their batters struggled against the Giants' disciplined bowling attack, failing to mount any resistance. Also Read: Legendary Mumbai spinner Padmakar Shivalkar dies aged 84 Deandra Dottin (2/14) set the tone with two crucial wickets in the very first over, dismissing Kiran Navgire and Georgia Voll for ducks. Kashvee Gautam (3/11), Meghna Singh (1/21), Tanuja Kanwar (3/17), and Ashleigh Gardner (1/9) further dismantled the fragile batting lineup. Grace Harris was the only specialist batter to make an impact, scoring 25 off 30 balls, while Vrinda Dinesh (1), captain Deepti Sharma (6), and Shweta Sehrawat (5) failed to contribute meaningfully. A late 14-ball 28 from Chinelle Henry and a 17-run effort from Uma Chetry reduced the margin of defeat but could not prevent UPW’s collapse. Earlier, the Gujarat Giants posted a competitive total, thanks to Mooney’s commanding innings. The left-handed Australian anchored the innings, forming a crucial 101-run partnership with Harleen Deol (45 off 32 balls, six fours) after an early setback with the dismissal of Dayalan Hemalatha (2). Mooney’s aggressive stroke play saw her dispatch boundaries at will, but she was left stranded on 96, falling just short of a well-deserved century. With 10 runs needed for the milestone in the final over, she could only manage five. Sophie Ecclestone (2/34) was the standout bowler for UP Warriorz, taking the key wickets of Deol and the dangerous Deandra Dottin (17).

WPL 2025: Beth Mooney smashes 96 not out as Gujarat Giants thrash UP Warriorz

<p><span>Former <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> star and stalwart of Mumbai Maidan cricket, Padmar Shivalkar, passed away due to age-related issues in Mumbai on Monday (March 3), the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) informed.</span></p>
<p><span>He was 84 and considered one of the best players not to have played for the national team. </span><span>Born on September 14, 1940, Shivalkar was a left-arm spinner who served Mumbai cricket with distinction in a two-decade-long career.</span></p>
<p><span>Shivalkar was unlucky not to be selected for the Indian Test side, as his career coincided with that of the legendary <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/bishan-singh-bedi">Bishan Singh Bedi</a>. He did a tour with an Indian team to Sri Lanka in 1973&ndash;74, playing in both matches and taking four wickets. But the matches were considered unofficial Tests.</span></p>
<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-countering-indias-spin-attack-on-a-dry-wicket-will-be-key-says-australia-skipper-steve-smith-8775228">Champions Trophy 2025: &lsquo;Countering India&rsquo;s spin attack on a dry wicket will be key,&rsquo; says Australia skipper Steve Smith</a></strong></p>
<p><span>"Mumbai cricket has lost a true legend today. Padmakar Shivalkar Sir's contribution to the game, especially as one of the finest spinners of all time, will always be remembered. His dedication, skill, and impact on Mumbai cricket are unparalleled. His passing is an irreplaceable loss to the cricketing fraternity. May his soul rest in peace," the MCA said in a condolence message on Monday.</span></p>
<h2><span>Stellar record</span></h2>
<p><span>Shivalkar, revered in Mumbai cricket as Paddy sir, played 124 first-class matches before he retired at the age of 50, claiming 569 wickets at an average of 19.69. He had 43 five-wicket hauls and had taken 10 wickets in a match on 13 occasions. He had best bowling figures of 8-16 against Tamil Nadu in the 1972-73 Ranji Trophy season. He still holds the record for being the highest wicket-taker for Mumbai in domestic cricket.</span></p>
<p><span>Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/eknath-shinde">Eknath Shinde</a> mourned his demise on X and wrote, &ldquo;The news of the demise of former Mumbai cricketer Padmakar Shiwalkar is very sad. With his left-arm orthodox bowling, he had shown the way to many veteran batsmen. With his demise, a star has been lost in the cricket world. May God grant his soul eternal peace and give his family and fans the strength to overcome this grief. Heartfelt condolence.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span>Former Karnataka and India pacer Dodda Ganesh also paid rich tributes to the stalwart cricketer. </span><span>"Padmalkar Shivalkar sir was definitely one of the greatest cricketers who should've played for India. Nonetheless, he's still the legend of the game. Rest in peace, sir, your contribution to the game of cricket is huge. Thoughts and prayers," said Ganesh.</span></p>
<p><span>In 2016, Shivalkar was awarded the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honour conferred by BCCI on a former player.</span></p>

Cricket, Sports: Shivalkar was unlucky not to be selected for the Indian Test side as his career coincided with that of the legendary Bishan Singh Bedi.

Former Ranji Trophy star and stalwart of Mumbai Maidan cricket, Padmar Shivalkar, passed away due to age-related issues in Mumbai on Monday (March 3), the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) informed. He was 84 and considered one of the best players not to have played for the national team. Born on September 14, 1940, Shivalkar was a left-arm spinner who served Mumbai cricket with distinction in a two-decade-long career. Shivalkar was unlucky not to be selected for the Indian Test side, as his career coincided with that of the legendary Bishan Singh Bedi. He did a tour with an Indian team to Sri Lanka in 1973–74, playing in both matches and taking four wickets. But the matches were considered unofficial Tests. Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: ‘Countering India’s spin attack on a dry wicket will be key,’ says Australia skipper Steve Smith "Mumbai cricket has lost a true legend today. Padmakar Shivalkar Sir's contribution to the game, especially as one of the finest spinners of all time, will always be remembered. His dedication, skill, and impact on Mumbai cricket are unparalleled. His passing is an irreplaceable loss to the cricketing fraternity. May his soul rest in peace," the MCA said in a condolence message on Monday. Stellar record Shivalkar, revered in Mumbai cricket as Paddy sir, played 124 first-class matches before he retired at the age of 50, claiming 569 wickets at an average of 19.69. He had 43 five-wicket hauls and had taken 10 wickets in a match on 13 occasions. He had best bowling figures of 8-16 against Tamil Nadu in the 1972-73 Ranji Trophy season. He still holds the record for being the highest wicket-taker for Mumbai in domestic cricket. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde mourned his demise on X and wrote, “The news of the demise of former Mumbai cricketer Padmakar Shiwalkar is very sad. With his left-arm orthodox bowling, he had shown the way to many veteran batsmen. With his demise, a star has been lost in the cricket world. May God grant his soul eternal peace and give his family and fans the strength to overcome this grief. Heartfelt condolence.” Former Karnataka and India pacer Dodda Ganesh also paid rich tributes to the stalwart cricketer. "Padmalkar Shivalkar sir was definitely one of the greatest cricketers who should've played for India. Nonetheless, he's still the legend of the game. Rest in peace, sir, your contribution to the game of cricket is huge. Thoughts and prayers," said Ganesh. In 2016, Shivalkar was awarded the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honour conferred by BCCI on a former player.

Legendary Mumbai spinner Padmakar Shivalkar dies aged 84

<p>Australia captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/steve-smith">Steve Smith</a> has acknowledged the challenge of facing India's spin-heavy attack on a dry pitch in Dubai ahead of their Champions Trophy semi-final. He said that his team&rsquo;s success will largely depend on how they tackle India&rsquo;s spinners.</p>
<p>India, fielding four spinners in their last group-stage match against New Zealand, secured a 44-run win by choking the Kiwi batting lineup. Smith, aware of the threat posed by India&rsquo;s spin attack, admitted that countering them effectively will be crucial.</p>
<p>"I think it&rsquo;s not just about Chakravarthy; the rest of their spinners are quality as well. The key for us will be how we handle their spin," Smith said on the eve of the semi-final. "There&rsquo;s going to be some turn, and we have to find ways to counter that. We&rsquo;ve got a few plans, and we&rsquo;ll see how they play out tomorrow."</p>
<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/who-is-sonali-pandey-appointed-as-team-doctor-for-the-australian-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-hoh-cricket-team-8775168">Who is Sonali Pandey? Appointed as team doctor for the Australian deaf and hard of hearing (HoH) cricket team</a></strong></p>
<p>One of Australia&rsquo;s key weapons, opener <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/travis-head">Travis Head</a>, has a strong record in knockout games, and Smith hopes he can deliver again.</p>
<p>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s always pressure in big games, but Travis has stepped up many times before. He looked in great touch against Afghanistan, and I&rsquo;m sure he&rsquo;ll come out with the same aggressive intent. Hopefully, he can make an impact early on.&rdquo;</p>
<p>While India have played all their matches in Dubai, giving them familiarity with the conditions, Smith downplayed any advantage.</p>
<p>&ldquo;They have seen the conditions firsthand, but I&rsquo;m not sure if it&rsquo;s an advantage. The square block is quite dry, and we&rsquo;ve seen how the wickets play here,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<h2>'We have variety of options'</h2>
<p>Australia&rsquo;s preparation was slightly disrupted after their last league match against Afghanistan was rained out, forcing them to wait on India&rsquo;s result to confirm their semifinal venue. However, Smith saw a silver lining.</p>
<p>"It worked out well for us. If we had waited for last night&rsquo;s result, we would have flown in today and played tomorrow without training on the surface. Instead, we got two days to prepare and adapt to the conditions."</p>
<p>Smith also expressed confidence in Australia&rsquo;s spin options, mentioning all-rounder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/glenn-maxwell">Glenn Maxwell</a> and Cooper Connolly as potential contributors.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We have a variety of options. Maxwell is there, and although Matthew Short&rsquo;s absence is a loss, he bowled well in the last game. Connolly is another option, and we have part-timers who can play a role.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Australian squad is missing key pacers like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, but Smith praised the replacements for stepping up.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re without some experienced bowlers, but the guys who have come in have done well. This tournament has been a great opportunity for them to gain international exposure. Hopefully, they can deliver another strong performance and take us to the final,&rdquo; he signed off.</p>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

Cricket, Sports: One of Australia’s key weapons, opener Travis Head, has a strong record in knockout games, and Smith hopes he can deliver again

Australia captain Steve Smith has acknowledged the challenge of facing India's spin-heavy attack on a dry pitch in Dubai ahead of their Champions Trophy semi-final. He said that his team’s success will largely depend on how they tackle India’s spinners. India, fielding four spinners in their last group-stage match against New Zealand, secured a 44-run win by choking the Kiwi batting lineup. Smith, aware of the threat posed by India’s spin attack, admitted that countering them effectively will be crucial. "I think it’s not just about Chakravarthy; the rest of their spinners are quality as well. The key for us will be how we handle their spin," Smith said on the eve of the semi-final. "There’s going to be some turn, and we have to find ways to counter that. We’ve got a few plans, and we’ll see how they play out tomorrow." Also Read: Who is Sonali Pandey? Appointed as team doctor for the Australian deaf and hard of hearing (HoH) cricket team One of Australia’s key weapons, opener Travis Head, has a strong record in knockout games, and Smith hopes he can deliver again. “There’s always pressure in big games, but Travis has stepped up many times before. He looked in great touch against Afghanistan, and I’m sure he’ll come out with the same aggressive intent. Hopefully, he can make an impact early on.” While India have played all their matches in Dubai, giving them familiarity with the conditions, Smith downplayed any advantage. “They have seen the conditions firsthand, but I’m not sure if it’s an advantage. The square block is quite dry, and we’ve seen how the wickets play here,” he said. 'We have variety of options' Australia’s preparation was slightly disrupted after their last league match against Afghanistan was rained out, forcing them to wait on India’s result to confirm their semifinal venue. However, Smith saw a silver lining. "It worked out well for us. If we had waited for last night’s result, we would have flown in today and played tomorrow without training on the surface. Instead, we got two days to prepare and adapt to the conditions." Smith also expressed confidence in Australia’s spin options, mentioning all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and Cooper Connolly as potential contributors. “We have a variety of options. Maxwell is there, and although Matthew Short’s absence is a loss, he bowled well in the last game. Connolly is another option, and we have part-timers who can play a role.” The Australian squad is missing key pacers like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, but Smith praised the replacements for stepping up. “We’re without some experienced bowlers, but the guys who have come in have done well. This tournament has been a great opportunity for them to gain international exposure. Hopefully, they can deliver another strong performance and take us to the final,” he signed off. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy 2025: ‘Countering India’s spin attack on a dry wicket will be key,’ says Australia skipper Steve Smith

<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><span>Dr. Sonali Pandey, an orthopedic surgeon and sports and exercise medicine specialist, has been appointed as the team doctor for the Australian Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) cricket team. She is currently accompanying the squad on their tour of India for the upcoming T20 and ODI tri-series.</span></p>
<p><span>An alumnus of Somalwar High School and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College &amp; Hospital, Dr. Sonali holds three master&rsquo;s degrees in her field, demonstrating her remarkable academic credentials. She has over 25 years of experience in orthopedics and traumatology, specialising in musculoskeletal problems, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sports-injuries">sports injuries</a>, arthritis, and stress-related injuries. She has earned qualifications from India, the UK, Australia, and the US, making her a highly accomplished professional in her field.</span></p>
<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-ex-spinner-kumble-says-varun-got-opportunity-because-india-qualified-for-semis-8775071">Champions Trophy: Ex-spinner Kumble says Varun got 'opportunity because India qualified for semis'</a></strong></p>
<h2><span>Making her own path</span></h2>
<p><span>Dr. Sonali&rsquo;s journey has been unique and inspiring. Coming from a family of orthopedic surgeons&mdash;her father, Dr. Sudhir Babhulkar, her brother, Dr. Sushrut Babhulkar, and her husband, Dr. Ketan Pandey&mdash;she has forged her own path.</span></p>
<p><span>Serving as the team physician for a deaf cricket team poses distinct challenges. Many players have cochlear implants, which allow them to hear in daily life, but these devices must be removed during matches, increasing the risk of collisions and injuries. In a regular game, fielders communicate through verbal calls to avoid crashes, but for deaf players, such coordination is not possible. This makes Dr. Sonali&rsquo;s role crucial in handling injuries and ensuring optimal recovery for the athletes.</span></p>
<p><span>A sign language interpreter travels with the team to bridge communication gaps between players and support staff. Dr. Sonali finds working with the team both challenging and enriching, as she learns from the players while applying her expertise to help them maintain peak performance.</span></p>
<p><span>The Australian Deaf and Hard of Hearing team is competing against India and South Africa in the tri-series at Karnal Cricket Stadium, New Delhi, from March 2 to March 8, followed by a three-match ODI series between India and Australia from March 10 to March 12. Dr. Sonali also acknowledged the efforts of the Indian Deaf Cricket Association in promoting the sport within the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.</span></p>
<p><span>Her appointment as the team physician has drawn admiration, particularly in India, where many were surprised to see an Indian woman in such a high role. However, Dr. Sonali remains focused on her journey, determined to continue growing in her field and making a difference in the world of sports medicine.</span></p>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

Cricket, Sports: An alumnus of Somalwar School and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College & Hospital, Sonali boasts an impressive academic record

Dr. Sonali Pandey, an orthopedic surgeon and sports and exercise medicine specialist, has been appointed as the team doctor for the Australian Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) cricket team. She is currently accompanying the squad on their tour of India for the upcoming T20 and ODI tri-series. An alumnus of Somalwar High School and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College & Hospital, Dr. Sonali holds three master’s degrees in her field, demonstrating her remarkable academic credentials. She has over 25 years of experience in orthopedics and traumatology, specialising in musculoskeletal problems, sports injuries, arthritis, and stress-related injuries. She has earned qualifications from India, the UK, Australia, and the US, making her a highly accomplished professional in her field. Also Read: Champions Trophy: Ex-spinner Kumble says Varun got 'opportunity because India qualified for semis' Making her own path Dr. Sonali’s journey has been unique and inspiring. Coming from a family of orthopedic surgeons—her father, Dr. Sudhir Babhulkar, her brother, Dr. Sushrut Babhulkar, and her husband, Dr. Ketan Pandey—she has forged her own path. Serving as the team physician for a deaf cricket team poses distinct challenges. Many players have cochlear implants, which allow them to hear in daily life, but these devices must be removed during matches, increasing the risk of collisions and injuries. In a regular game, fielders communicate through verbal calls to avoid crashes, but for deaf players, such coordination is not possible. This makes Dr. Sonali’s role crucial in handling injuries and ensuring optimal recovery for the athletes. A sign language interpreter travels with the team to bridge communication gaps between players and support staff. Dr. Sonali finds working with the team both challenging and enriching, as she learns from the players while applying her expertise to help them maintain peak performance. The Australian Deaf and Hard of Hearing team is competing against India and South Africa in the tri-series at Karnal Cricket Stadium, New Delhi, from March 2 to March 8, followed by a three-match ODI series between India and Australia from March 10 to March 12. Dr. Sonali also acknowledged the efforts of the Indian Deaf Cricket Association in promoting the sport within the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Her appointment as the team physician has drawn admiration, particularly in India, where many were surprised to see an Indian woman in such a high role. However, Dr. Sonali remains focused on her journey, determined to continue growing in her field and making a difference in the world of sports medicine. (With inputs from agencies)

Who is Sonali Pandey? Appointed as team doctor for the Australian deaf and hard of hearing (HoH) cricket team

<p>Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday lashed out at Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed for questioning India captain Rohit Sharma's captaincy and fitness levels, terming it "deeply shameful" and "outright pathetic."&nbsp;</p>
<p>Her remarks came after Rohit was dismissed for 15 runs off 17 balls during India's Champions Trophy match against New Zealand on Sunday.</p>
<p><strong>Also Read:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-ex-spinner-kumble-says-varun-got-opportunity-because-india-qualified-for-semis-8775071">Ex-spinner Kumble says Varun got 'opportunity because India qualified for semis'</a></p>
<p>Training his gun on the Congress spokesperson, Mandaviya wrote on 'X', "Congress and TMC should leave sports persons alone as they are fully capable of handling their professional lives." <br><br>"Remarks made by leaders from these parties, indulging in body shaming and questioning an athlete's place in the team, are not only deeply shameful but also outright pathetic."&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the midst of the widespread backlash that Shama Mohamed's remark on the T20 World Cup winning captain drew, Mandaviya added, "Such comments undermine the hard work and sacrifices that our sports persons make to represent the country on the global stage." Shama caused a stir on social media with her controversial post directed at the Indian captain.</p>
<p>Acknowledging her comments were out of line, Congress asked Shama to delete the post from her 'X' account.</p>
<p>In her now-deleted post, Shama wrote, "Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And of course the most unimpressive Captain India has ever had!" India have reached the semifinals of the Champions Trophy and play Australia in the semifinal in Dubai on Tuesday. They beat New Zealand by 44 runs on Sunday to top their group.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, former India seamer Venkatesh Prasad also slammed Shama.</p>
<p>"Rohit has maintained great dignity as a captain, led us to a T20 WC win 8 months back, and in the middle of an ICC tournament, body-shaming him is absolutely pathetic and uncalled for," Prasad tweeted.</p>
<p>"Should have some respect for a person who has achieved through his skills and leadership for so many years," Prasad added.</p>
<p>BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia also criticised Shama for "such a trivial comment" in the middle of the national team's Champions Trophy campaign.</p>
<p>"Very unfortunate for a responsible person to pass such a trivial comment when the team is in the midst of such a marquee ICC tournament. It may have demoralizing effect on an individual or the team," Saikia told PTI.</p>
<p>"All the players are performing to their highest potential and results are visible. I hope individuals shall desist from making such derogatory statements for personal publicity sake at the cost of National Interest," he added.</p>
<p><em><strong>Disclaimer:</strong> This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

Shama Mohamed's remarks came after Rohit was dismissed for 15 runs off 17 balls during India's Champions Trophy match against New Zealand on Sunday. Cricket Sports

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday lashed out at Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed for questioning India captain Rohit Sharma's captaincy and fitness levels, terming it "deeply shameful" and "outright pathetic." Her remarks came after Rohit was dismissed for 15 runs off 17 balls during India's Champions Trophy match against New Zealand on Sunday. Also Read: Ex-spinner Kumble says Varun got 'opportunity because India qualified for semis' Training his gun on the Congress spokesperson, Mandaviya wrote on 'X', "Congress and TMC should leave sports persons alone as they are fully capable of handling their professional lives." "Remarks made by leaders from these parties, indulging in body shaming and questioning an athlete's place in the team, are not only deeply shameful but also outright pathetic." In the midst of the widespread backlash that Shama Mohamed's remark on the T20 World Cup winning captain drew, Mandaviya added, "Such comments undermine the hard work and sacrifices that our sports persons make to represent the country on the global stage." Shama caused a stir on social media with her controversial post directed at the Indian captain. Acknowledging her comments were out of line, Congress asked Shama to delete the post from her 'X' account. In her now-deleted post, Shama wrote, "Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And of course the most unimpressive Captain India has ever had!" India have reached the semifinals of the Champions Trophy and play Australia in the semifinal in Dubai on Tuesday. They beat New Zealand by 44 runs on Sunday to top their group. Meanwhile, former India seamer Venkatesh Prasad also slammed Shama. "Rohit has maintained great dignity as a captain, led us to a T20 WC win 8 months back, and in the middle of an ICC tournament, body-shaming him is absolutely pathetic and uncalled for," Prasad tweeted. "Should have some respect for a person who has achieved through his skills and leadership for so many years," Prasad added. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia also criticised Shama for "such a trivial comment" in the middle of the national team's Champions Trophy campaign. "Very unfortunate for a responsible person to pass such a trivial comment when the team is in the midst of such a marquee ICC tournament. It may have demoralizing effect on an individual or the team," Saikia told PTI. "All the players are performing to their highest potential and results are visible. I hope individuals shall desist from making such derogatory statements for personal publicity sake at the cost of National Interest," he added. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

India sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya slams Cong's Shama Mohamed for remarks on Rohit Sharma

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