Australia will take on India in the first semifinal of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
The two-time champion made it to the last-four stage despite two of its three group-stage matches being abandoned due to rain, and the Steve Smith-led side will have its task cut out against the Indians, who are on a three-match winning streak.
Australia has featured in four semifinals at the Champions Trophy, winning two and losing as many. Interestingly, the last two times the Australians made it to the semis, they went on to win the title, in 2006 and 2009.
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In 2006, they beat the Kiwis in the semifinals before thrashing West Indies by eight wickets in the final at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. In the following edition of the tournament in 2009, Australia trounced England by nine wickets in the last-four stage before making short work of New Zealand’s 201-run target in the summit clash.
However, after clinching back-to-back titles, Australia failed to win a single match in the 2013 and 2017 editions of the tournament, and exited in the group stage on both occasions. It didn’t help that a number of its matches were washed out due to inclement weather, a trope that continued even in this year’s competition.
Australia started off by beating England in a record run-chase in Lahore, before its matches against South Africa and Afghanistan were washed out.
AUSTRALIA RECORD IN ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY SEMIFINALS
Matches played: 4
Australia won: 2
Australia lost: 2
Last result: Beat England by 9 wickets (2009; Centurion)
AUSTRALIA’S RESULTS IN ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY SEMIFINALS
Lost to Sri Lanka by 7 wickets (2002; Colombo)
Lost to England by 6 wickets (2004; Birmingham)
Beat New Zealand by 34 runs (2006; Mohali)
Beat England by 9 wickets (2009; Centurion)
