The highly anticipated semi-final clash between India and Australia in the Champions Trophy 2025 has begun with Australia opting to bat first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The Australian side, led by Steve Smith, started cautiously but found early trouble as Mohammed Shami removed opener Cooper Connolly for a nine-ball duck, caught behind by KL Rahul.
However, Travis Head counter-attacked in spectacular fashion, unleashing a flurry of boundaries against the Indian pacers. He took on Mohammed Shami, smashing him for three consecutive fours in a single over, followed by another boundary to make it four in five balls. The left-hander continued his aggressive intent against Hardik Pandya, lofting a six over deep square leg and driving a four past mid-off.
With Travis Head accelerating at a strike rate of over 120, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma made an early bowling change, bringing in Kuldeep Yadav in the sixth over to slow down the run rate and challenge the aggressive Australian batter with spin. The move came after Head had already scored 28 off 23 balls, including four boundaries and a six.
At the end of 5.5 overs, Australia stood at 35/1, with Travis Head (28 off 23) and Steven Smith (2 off 3) at the crease. India is banking on its spin attack to break this growing partnership before Australia builds momentum.
The winner of this high-stakes clash will book a spot in the Champions Trophy 2025 final, where they will face the winner of the second semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand.
Current Score
Australia: 35/1 in 5.5 overs
- Travis Head: 28 (23), 4 fours, 1 six
- Steven Smith: 2 (3)
- Mohammed Shami: 3-0-17-1
- Kuldeep Yadav: 0.5-0-4-0
The match remains evenly poised, with India looking for a breakthrough while Australia aims to capitalize on its strong start.
