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Indian cricket team in action during Champions Trophy 2025© AFP
The Indian cricket team booked their Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal berth without a single loss after they defeated New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday. India are the only side in the competition till now who have won all three of their encounters. However, there has been claims of ‘unfair advantage’ from both past and current players due to the fact that India are playing all of their games in Dubai. The Indian government did not allow the national side to travel to Pakistan and the International Cricket Council (ICC) decided to host the competition in a ‘hybrid manner’. Ex-England cricketers like Naseer Hussain and Mike Atherton were not pleased with the scheduling while If Buttler and South Africa batter Rassie van der Dussen also echoed similar sentiments when asked about the topic.
Former Indian cricket team Sourav Gangulyhowever, had a fitting reply to the critics as he claimed that India would have scored more runs if they were playing on the pitches in Pakistan.
“The pitches in Pakistan are much better. India would’ve scored more runs there,” he said at an event.
Meanwhile, history weighs heavily against them but India would rely on a potent spin battery and familiarity with the conditions to break the knockout jinx against an undermanned Australia when the two formidable cricket forces clash in the Champions Trophy semifinal on Tuesday.
It will not be a straightforward task, though, as the Aussies are a resilient beast in global tournaments even without their lead cast of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.
Their stunning chase of 352 against England at Lahore a few days back validates the thought.
The last time India triumphed against Australia in the knockout stage of an ICC event was way back in 2011 World Cup quarterfinal.
India lost to Australia in the semifinals of the 2015 ODI World Cup and in the title clash of the 2023 ODI World Cup before succumbing to them in the World Test Championship final in 2023.
(With PTI inputs)
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