ICC Champions Trophy 2025: South Africa and India Advance to Semifinals

Image credits: ICC-Cricket.com

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has reached its crucial stage, with South Africa and India emerging as strong contenders for the title. South Africa defeated England by seven wickets in their recent match, with Rassie van der Dussen scoring an unbeaten 72 and Heinrich Klaasen hitting 64 from 56 balls. This victory sealed South Africa's spot in the semifinals, where they will face the loser of the upcoming match between India and New Zealand.

India, on the other hand, is gearing up to face New Zealand in their next match, with the winner topping Group A and the loser facing South Africa in the semifinals. India's skipper, Rohit Sharma, and pace spearhead, Mohammed Shami, have been declared fit for the match, despite some concerns over their fitness. The Indian team has been playing all their matches in the UAE, instead of Pakistan, due to an agreement between the BCCI and the ICC. India has twice claimed victory in the Champions Trophy, in 2002 and 2013, but lost the final to Pakistan in the last edition.

New Zealand, ranked fourth in ODI cricket, has been performing exceptionally well in the tournament, with their fitness and fielding standards being a notable aspect of their game. They have reached the knockout stage in four of the last five ICC limited-over World Cups and have secured the tri-nation series against South Africa and hosts Pakistan. The match between India and New Zealand is expected to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams having a strong chance of winning. The first semifinal will be staged on Tuesday, with the second semifinal scheduled for Wednesday, and the final to be played on March 9.

The Champions Trophy 2025 has been marked by some impressive performances, with South Africa's victory over England being a notable one. The Proteas' batting lineup has been in fine form, with van der Dussen and Klaasen scoring crucial runs. India's bowling attack, led by Shami, has also been impressive, with the team's spinners playing a key role in their victories. As the tournament progresses, fans can expect some exciting matches, with the top teams competing for the coveted title.

Here are the match scores and player statistics:

• England 179 (38.2 overs): Root 37; Mulder 3-25, Jansen 3-39
• South Africa 181-3 (29.1 overs): Van der Dussen 72*; Archer 2-55
• India's squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vice captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakravarthy
• New Zealand's squad: Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway (wicketkeeper), Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young

1. Sunday, March 2: India vs New Zealand
2. Tuesday, March 4: Semifinal 1
3. Wednesday, March 5: Semifinal 2
4. March 9: Final