India and Australia are set to lock horns in the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai. The match will also be a grudge match for Men In Blue after Australia beat them in 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad.
India's opponents have consistently pointed out that playing all their matches at a single venue in Dubai has given Rohit Sharma's side an advantage in the tournament.
India has played all its group-stage matches in Dubai and will continue to play the semi-final and potentially the final at the same venue. Meanwhile, other teams have had to travel across three different venues in Pakistan.
Pitch Report for India vs Australia Semi-Final
Dubai's tracks have favoured spinners throughout the tournament, with slower and drier pitches making stroke play difficult. Whoever wins the toss, it would be ideal to chase a target in Dubai.
However, as per a Cricbuzz report, a fresh pitch will be used for the India vs Australia semi-final. The curator of the surface here is Matthew Sandery. The Australian is the curator for the pitches at both DICS and the ICC Academy.
India and Australia's performance ahead of semi-final
India has been in sublime form, winning all three group-stage matches. On the other hand, Australia stayed unbeaten, pulling off a record run-chase against England in their opening fixture, while their other two games were washed out due to rain.
India's biggest strength so far has been their lethal bowling attack, especially the spin trio. The likes of Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy who have choked opposition batters in the middle overs.
Despite fielding an inexperienced squad, Australia has shown resilience, with players like Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, and Adam Zampa stepping up. Under Steve Smith's captaincy, Australia has once again made it to the semi-final of a major ICC tournament.
With both teams aiming for a spot in the Champions Trophy 2025 final, all eyes will be on how the fresh pitch plays out in this high-stakes encounter.
