India will face Australia in the first semi-final of the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai on Tuesday (March 3) - Here's what the Betfair odds for the match are.
India finished the group stage as the only team to win all their matches. Australia, on the other hand, entered semi-finals on the back of a record chase against England followed by washouts against South Africa and Afghanistan.
India’s unstoppable batting line-up seemed to have eaten a humble pie after managing 249-9 in their final group match against New Zealand. However, the second innings painted a different surface when a four-pronged spin-attack restricted New Zealand to 44 runs short of the target, suggesting the ageing Dubai surface had more to do with the low score rather than poor application by batters.
Having played all their matches in Dubai, India know the pitches inside out. That gives them an advantage. But they have their bogeyman in front of them in Australia, who know how to perform despite the odds stacked against them.
Who are better suited to the conditions?
Australia have played two of their three matches in Lahore, the venue which saw the most high-scoring match in the tournament. Their batting hasn’t been tested on tricky pitches. India’s biggest advantage, on the other hand, is their depth of spinners and the familiarity to the Dubai International Stadium, having played all their matches there, adds to it.
The final group match against New Zealand, where India bowled 37.3 overs of spin, showed how they can put a stranglehold on the opposition by applying pressure from both ends. Australia have been hopeless on turning tracks. The 0-2 clean sweep in Sri Lanka preceding their campaign suggests that.
All in all, India’s combination is well suited for the venue and that’s backed by their superior odds of 1/2 on Betfair Sportsbook, compared to Australia, who are valued at 6/4.
Who are the players who can rise to the occasion?
When India were reduced to 30-3 against New Zealand, Shreyas Iyer showed why he’s one of India’s best when it comes to playing slow bowling. Valued at 4/1 of being India’s best batter, Iyer would hope to extend his purple patch at No.4.
Virat Kohli had a quiet match against New Zealand and nothing could be a better occasion to bounce back. ODI is the format where he has always found himself at home and that’s reflected in Betfair Sportsbook’s odds (10/3) of him being the best batter for India.
The possible testing conditions indicate a lot will depend on Steve Smith as far as Australia's chances are concerned. That he is priced at 10/3 of being Australia’s best batter suggests so. Having returned to form after a change of stance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Smith would look to resurrect his ODI career as well, and the stage is set for him.
In the bowling department, India are most likely to continue with Varun Chakravarthy after his record five-for against New Zealand. Varun’s variations can prove to be beneficial for India given not many teams have played him in his nascent international career. He is a decent choice priced at 10/3 to be one of the top bowlers.
The turners are where bowlers like Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel become unplayable, with the odd delivery coming in. They are jointly priced at 5/1 on Betfair Sportsbook.
You can bet on every match in-play during the Champions Trophy with the Betfair Exchange. This alternative way of betting allows customers to bet against each other rather than a traditional bookmaker. This way you often find much higher in-play odds than with traditional fixed markets.
