India 267 for 6 (Kohli 84, Iyer 45, Rahul 42*, Ellis 2-49, Zampa 2-60) beat Australia 264 (Smith 73, Carey 61, Shami 3-48, Jadeja 2-40, Varun 2-49) by five wickets

Dubai will host the Champions Trophy final, and India is in after outclassing a weakened but spirited Australia in a hard-fought semi-final. Though Australia had its moments, India's quality and experience proved decisive.

Virat Kohli, the backbone of India’s chase, looked set for another classic knock before an uncharacteristic shot cut him short at 84. By then, he had done enough, leaving just 40 runs off 44 balls. KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya finished the job swiftly, with Rahul sealing it in style—launching Glenn Maxwell for six, just as he did in their 2023 World Cup clash.

Despite hitting fewer boundaries, India’s smart running (158 runs between wickets to Australia’s 129) and control in the middle overs made the difference. With a 50% dot-ball rate, their spinners kept the Aussies in check, while Australia’s attack lacked the same discipline. In the end, India’s well-rounded performance secured their place in the final.

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International games

• Ind vs Aus

  AUS 264 (49.3)

  IND 267/6 (48.1)

  India won by 4 wkts

South Africa and New Zealand prepare for run-fest as even contest beckons.

South Africa and New Zealand—two of the best teams yet to win a World Cup—face off in another high-stakes knockout match. Winning this won’t erase their hunger for the big one, but it offers a shot at redemption, at least until South Africa co-hosts the 2027 World Cup.

For South Africa, the pressure to bring home more than heartbreak remains. New Zealand, still carrying the scars of their 2019 final loss, seem to shoulder it more lightly. Facing each other, rather than India or Australia, gives both a real chance at the final, and with Pakistan’s batting-friendly conditions, a high-scoring contest is likely.

Bowling battles could decide the game—Marco Jansen vs. Kyle Jamieson for bounce, Kagiso Rabada vs. Matt Henry for aggression, and South Africa’s lone spinner Keshav Maharaj against New Zealand’s duo of Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell.

Though this clash lacks the hype of facing a "big three" team, history runs deep—New Zealand knocked South Africa out of the 2011 and 2015 World Cups. Back then, those losses felt seismic. Now, with ICC events happening annually, do wins and losses matter less? Not to these two teams, who’ve spent decades chasing a major trophy. Only one will get another shot.

Domestic cricket + T20 leagues

• Vidarbha vs Kerala, Final

  KER 342

  VID 379 & 375/9

  Match drawn

CHAMPIONS TROPHY MATCH PREVIEW 

New Zealand vs South Africa 

Even Herschelle Gibbs, never short on opinions, hesitated when asked to pick a winner between South Africa and New Zealand in the Champions Trophy semifinal, saying, "Not a lot to choose between those two."

Both teams followed similar travel schedules, arriving in Lahore after stops in Dubai. They last met just 24 days ago at the same venue, with New Zealand winning, but South Africa’s lineup has since changed significantly, while the Kiwis remain largely the same.

Recent form is evenly matched—South Africa rebounded with two wins after three losses, while New Zealand’s defeat to India ended a four-match streak. Their stats tell a similar story: both have a 300+ total in the tournament, one top-10 run-scorer, and strong bowling attacks. New Zealand leads in wickets, while South Africa has two of the most economical bowlers.

Gibbs didn’t need to crunch the numbers. The reality is clear—there’s almost nothing separating these two teams.

On This Day

The cricket world was left stunned and heartbroken by the sudden loss of Shane Warne. At just 52, the legendary leg-spinner suffered a fatal heart attack while on vacation in Koh Samui, Thailand. His passing came less than 12 hours after he had paid tribute to former Australian wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, who had died earlier that day at 74.

Warne wasn’t just a cricketer—he was a magician with the ball, a showman who brought leg spin back to life and made it an art form. With 708 Test wickets to his name, he remains the greatest leg-spinner the game has ever seen. His impact on cricket was immeasurable, and his absence leaves a void that can never truly be filled.

Coming tomorrow

• South Africa vs New Zealand, 2nd Semi-Final

• Netherlands vs Canada

What else is happening

• Rahul: I'm used to going up and down the order

• Pakistan in NZ: Babar-Rizwan dropped for T20Is with Agha captain; no Shaheen for ODIs