In the 2025 Champions Trophy, India has secured their place in the semifinals after a hard-fought win against New Zealand in their final group stage clash. This victory sets up a highly anticipated semifinal matchup against Australia. The game took place on March 2, 2025, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

India, after losing the toss, was asked to bat first. They had a rough start as key players Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli were dismissed early within the first seven overs of the match. The Indian batting order seemed vulnerable as their top three batters were sent back to the pavilion at a critical stage of the game.

However, the middle order stepped up. Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel played a pivotal role in stabilizing the innings. Iyer contributed with a well-played 79 runs, while Patel added 42 runs to the total. Their partnership allowed India to recover from the early setbacks. Late contributions from Hardik Pandya, who scored a quick 45 runs, helped India post a total of 249 runs in their first innings.

On the bowling front, New Zealand's Matt Henry was the standout performer, taking a remarkable five wickets. Other bowlers, including Kyle Jamieson, Will O'Rourke, Mitchell Santner, and Rachin Ravindra, picked up a wicket each, making it a tough outing for the Indian batters. Despite the bowlers' efforts, India managed to get to a total of 249 runs.

In the second innings, New Zealand began their chase of 250 runs with Will Young and Rachin Ravindra as the opening duo. However, the chase did not start well as both openers were dismissed early—Young scored just 22 runs, and Ravindra added only 6 runs.

The middle order showed some resilience as Kane Williamson, one of New Zealand’s key players, stood firm at the crease. He scored a gritty 81 runs from 120 balls, fighting hard to keep New Zealand in the game. However, Williamson lacked substantial support from his fellow batsmen, and the scoreboard wasn’t ticking fast enough.

Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham could only contribute 17 and 14 runs, respectively. Glenn Phillips added 12 runs, while captain Mitchell Santner provided some resistance with a knock of 28 runs from 31 balls. Unfortunately for New Zealand, the lack of support to Williamson led to them falling short.

The game was clinched by India thanks to an outstanding bowling performance from Varun Chakaravarthy. In his first match of the tournament, the Indian spinner made an immediate impact by taking five wickets. His spell was instrumental in bringing down the New Zealand chase. Chakaravarthy's dominance with the ball led to New Zealand being bowled out for 205 runs, and India won the game by 44 runs.

This victory not only secured India's semifinal spot but also reaffirmed the depth of their team, both in batting and bowling. Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, and Hardik Pandya stood tall in the batting department, while Chakaravarthy's stellar bowling was a standout moment.

Now, India will face Australia in the semifinal, which promises to be an exciting contest. New Zealand, meanwhile, will play against South Africa in the other semifinal. The Champions Trophy has seen some outstanding performances, and with the top teams advancing, the next few days promise to bring thrilling cricket action.

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