Chakravarthy takes five as India set up semi-final clash with Australia

SPINNER Varun Chakravarthy took 5-42 as India defeated New Zealand by 44 runs on Sunday, securing a semi-final spot against Australia in the Champions Trophy.

India won all three of their group-stage matches to finish at the top of Group A and will play the first semi-final of the tournament in Dubai on Tuesday.

"Important to finish on a high," India captain Rohit Sharma said. "New Zealand are a good team who are playing some good cricket. Very important to get a good result, we played a perfect game."

New Zealand, who finished second in Group A, will face South Africa, the Group B winners, in the second semi-final in Lahore on Wednesday.

India have played all their matches in Dubai after declining to travel to host nation Pakistan due to security concerns.

Rohit’s team had lost the 2023 ODI World Cup final to Australia in Ahmedabad.

"Australia has a rich history of playing ICC tournaments well, but it is about us and what we want to do well on that particular day," said Rohit. "It will be a great contest, looking forward to that. Hopefully, we can stitch one towards us."

Australia and South Africa had to travel to Dubai from Pakistan without knowing if they would play there.

India had been informed ahead of the tournament that they would play the first semi-final if they qualified, regardless of their position in the group. South Africa will now return to Pakistan for their match against New Zealand.

Shreyas Iyer scored 79, and Hardik Pandya added 45 as India posted 249-9 after being asked to bat first.

New Zealand's Matt Henry led their bowling effort with figures of 5-42 in eight overs.

"The key for us was getting wickets in the powerplay, and that was good to see," New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said. "Our next game is in Lahore where Henry will be massive."

Chakravarthy leads India's bowling effort

Chakravarthy, playing only his second ODI, claimed his first five-wicket haul as New Zealand were bowled out for 205 in 45.3 overs. Kane Williamson top-scored with 81 but did not get enough support from other batters.

Williamson was dropped twice, on 17 and 68, before being stumped off Axar Patel.

New Zealand lost Rachin Ravindra early for six after Patel took a diving catch. Will Young was bowled for 22 by a Chakravarthy googly.

Williamson tried to hold the innings together, but Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham fell for 17 and 14, respectively.

India's spinners controlled the game, with Kuldeep Yadav dismissing Mitchell and Ravindra Jadeja trapping Latham lbw. Williamson brought up his 47th ODI fifty, but India continued to take wickets at regular intervals.

Earlier, India were in trouble at 30-3 after Virat Kohli, playing his 300th ODI, was dismissed for 11. Glenn Phillips pulled off a one-handed catch at backward point off Henry’s bowling.

Iyer and Patel steadied the innings with a 98-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Williamson later took a diving one-handed catch at backward point to dismiss Jadeja for 16 off Henry.

Pandya struck four fours and two sixes in his run-a-ball 45 to help India post a total that proved enough for victory.

(With inputs from agencies)