The eagerly awaited India-Australia semifinal encounter is scheduled for Tuesday as both sides want to make it to the final. With India's top order looking red-hot, Australian captain Steve Smith admitted the test of pitting his in-form batsmen against them.
Smith credited Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer for the capability to modify their game and change gears as necessary. Although Rohit Sharma has been positive at the top, Kohli and Gill have both scored a century, and Iyer has been India's most consistent run-scorer throughout the tournament.
Australia, who have previously beaten India twice in their past two knockout games—the 2023 World Test Championship final and the ODI World Cup final—will have confidence. The Indian spin-first approach, who successfully used that strategy in their previous game, may be what changes the equation in the sluggish conditions of Dubai. The eleventh-hour entry of Varun Chakravarthy is also a change-maker.
Smith highlighted the need to play India's spinners effectively, especially in the middle overs, and accepted that spin would be crucial to Australia's success. He also mentioned that India's playing all their games at the same ground is a concern, and though it may give some familiarity, it would not necessarily prove decisive.
With both sides in good nick, the semifinal is shaping up to be an exciting match.
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