HALFWAY THERE!! Australia Bowled Out for 264 as India Eye Champions Trophy Final

Australia were dismissed for 264 in 49.3 overs by a relentless Indian bowling attack in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, setting up a tantalizing chase for Rohit Sharma’s men. The clash, watched keenly as a rematch of the 2023 ODI World Cup final, saw India claw back after a solid Australian start, leaving the game finely poised at the halfway mark.

Opting to bat after winning the toss—India’s 14th straight toss loss in ODIs—Australia leaned on Steve Smith’s gritty 73 off 95 balls and Alex Carey’s brisk 61 off 56 to build their total. Travis Head’s 39 had promised a bigger score, but India’s bowlers struck back. Mohammed Shami (3/45) led the charge, dismissing Smith and mopping up the tail, while Varun Chakravarthy’s early removal of Head shifted momentum. Shreyas Iyer’s acrobatic run-out of Carey at 249/8 and Shubman Gill’s sharp catch off Glenn Maxwell (11) underscored India’s fielding brilliance.

The spin trio of Axar Patel (2 wickets), Ravindra Jadeja, and Chakravarthy exploited Dubai’s sluggish pitch, stifling Australia’s middle order—Marnus Labuschagne and Maxwell falling cheaply. Despite a dropped chance of Head at 0, India tightened the screws, restricting Australia from a projected 280-plus. Nathan Ellis (10) was the last to go, bowled by Shami.

India, unbeaten in the tournament, now need 265 to face South Africa in the Lahore final. With Virat Kohli, Gill, and Sharma in form, and Australia missing Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, the odds favor the Men in Blue. The chase looms as a test of India’s batting depth against Australia’s depleted attack.