While the Indian batters faced their first major test in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy, the spin department rose to the occasion and delivered a collective performance for the ages. India, as a result finished on top of Group A with a 44-run victory over New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday despite failing to reach 250 after batting out their full quota of overs.
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The Men in Blue will get little time to rest after their heroics in the final group match of the Champions Trophy as they turn their attention to the semi-finals, where they face two-time winners Australia just two days after defeating their Trans-Tasman rivals.
While Varun Chakravarthy’s 5/42 and Shreyas Iyer’s 98-ball 79 helped India top Group A with a hat-trick of wins, Australia had finished Group B runners-up.
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The Steve Smith-led side could only collect a maximum of four points despite not losing a single match after their games against South Africa and Afghanistan ended in a No Result due to rain.
The Aussies had begun their campaign with a five-wicket victory over England, chasing down a mammoth 352-run target set by Jos Buttler’s men in Lahore. Australia were also in pole position to defeat Afghanistan at the same venue when heavy rain followed by a wet outfield meant they had to contend themselves with a solitary point for a second consecutive game .
Impact Shorts
More ShortsTheir match against South Africa in Rawalpindi though, was washed out without a ball bowled.
Ahead of the blockbuster India vs Australia semi-final, we take a look at their head-to-head record – in the Champions Trophy as well as in ODIs overall:
India vs Australia, ICC Champions Trophy head-to-head record
India enjoy a 2-1 head-to-head record against Australia in four meetings in the ICC Champions Trophy, with one match ending in a ‘No Result’. India had won the first two meetings – by 44 runs in Dhaka in 1998 and by 20 runs in Nairobi two years later.
The Aussies, however, would fight back with a six-wicket victory in Mohali en route to winning the 2006 edition.
In their meeting in 2009, Australia had reached 234/4 after opting to bat when rain played spoilsport and caused the game to get abandoned.
India vs Australia ODI head-to-head record
Matches: 151
India won: 57
Australia won: 84
Tied: 0
No Result: 10
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