Cricket fans are in for a treat as the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 reaches its final stage India has stormed into the grand finale after a thrilling win over Australia while South Africa and New Zealand are battling it out in the second semifinal Meanwhile excitement for IPL 2025 is also picking up with the tournament set to begin later this month Let’s take a closer look at all the major cricket updates from today
India Crushes Australia to Reach Champions Trophy Final
India put on a dominant display in the first semifinal of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 against Australia at the Dubai International Stadium on March 4 Winning the toss Australia decided to bat first but their innings never really took off as the Indian bowlers kept things tight from the start
Australia’s Innings A Slow and Struggling Effort
David Warner and Travis Head walked out to bat with the intention of giving Australia a strong start but they found it difficult to score freely against the disciplined Indian bowling attack Mohammed Siraj gave India an early breakthrough dismissing Warner for just 14 runs Steve Smith played a steady knock of 73 off 96 balls and Alex Carey chipped in with 61 but Australia failed to accelerate in the final overs They were eventually bowled out for 264 in 49.3 overs
Mohammed Shami was the standout bowler for India taking 3 wickets for 48 runs Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja also picked up crucial wickets making sure Australia never got any real momentum
India’s Chase Kohli Takes Control
Chasing 265 India had a shaky start as both openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were dismissed early The pressure was on but Virat Kohli stepped up once again showing his class and experience He built a solid partnership with KL Rahul rotating the strike and punishing the bad deliveries
Kohli played a match winning innings of 84 runs off 98 balls While Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa tried to create pressure they couldn’t stop India’s steady progress Hardik Pandya’s quickfire 32 in the final overs sealed the win as India reached the target with four wickets in hand securing a spot in the final
With this victory India has now reached the Champions Trophy final for the fourth time and will be looking to add another ICC trophy to their collection
South Africa vs New Zealand Second Semifinal Battle in Progress
The second semifinal of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is currently underway at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore where South Africa and New Zealand are fighting for a place in the final Both teams have been impressive throughout the tournament and this match is expected to go down to the wire
South Africa is relying on its strong pace attack led by Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen while New Zealand is banking on its experienced batting lineup featuring Kane Williamson and Devon Conway With both teams having a history of falling short in ICC tournaments this match is crucial for both sides
The winner of this clash will face India in the final on March 9 in Dubai making it a must watch encounter for cricket fans worldwide
IPL 2025 Set to Begin on March 22
As the Champions Trophy nears its end fans are already shifting their focus to IPL 2025 which is set to kick off on March 22 with an exciting opener between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens in Kolkata
This year’s IPL promises to be one of the most competitive seasons yet with major team changes and some exciting new players making their debut Defending champions Chennai Super Kings have retained their core squad while Mumbai Indians Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals have made big moves in the auction With the world’s best T20 players set to take center stage IPL 2025 is expected to deliver nonstop entertainment
A Cricket Filled Month Ahead
With the ICC Champions Trophy final scheduled for March 9 and the IPL starting just a few weeks later cricket fans have plenty to look forward to India will be aiming for yet another ICC title while either South Africa or New Zealand will be looking to break their long standing trophy drought
As the excitement builds cricket lovers around the world are in for an action packed month with thrilling matches intense rivalries and unforgettable performances