India Defeats New Zealand, Advances to Champions Trophy Semi-Final Against Australia

India secured their place in the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 by defeating New Zealand by 44 runs in Dubai, finishing atop Group A. Key performances included Shreyas Iyer's 79 runs and Varun Chakravarthy's impressive five-wicket haul, which helped restrict New Zealand to 205 runs in response to India's 249-9. Captain Rohit Sharma expressed confidence in his team's performance, highlighting the importance of their upcoming match against Australia, who they last faced in the 2023 World Cup final. The first semi-final will take place on March 4, with both teams expected to field strong lineups, particularly given the spin-friendly conditions in Dubai. New Zealand will next face South Africa in the second semi-final. The winners of both matches will advance to the final scheduled for March 9.