India beat New Zealand by 44 runs on Sunday in Dubai to set up a semi-final clash with Australia in the Champions Trophy.
India won all three of their group matches to top Group A and will play the first semi-final of the 50-over tournament in Dubai on Tuesday. New Zealand will take on Group B winners South Africa in Lahore on Wednesday.
The Black Caps struck early in their encounter with India, sending Indian top order batters Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill all back to the dugout with the score at just 30 after seven overs.
Earlier, New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to field against India. Both teams came into the match in Dubai unbeaten.
The match was Virat Kohli’s 300th one-day international after the Indian batting great hit form with a century in the team’s previous win over arch-rivals Pakistan.
Irrespective of the placing and opponent, India will play the first semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday after they refused to travel to hosts Pakistan because of political tensions.
New Zealand will leave for Lahore after the match, with the second semi-final to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.
The Black Caps made one change after their win over Bangladesh, with Devon Conway making way for Daryl Mitchell. India also made one change, with spinner Varun Chakravarthy coming in for pace bowler Harshit Rana.
South Africa and Australia are the top two teams from Group B. The outcome of India’s refusal to play Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan for Australia and South Africa is that they will not know until the final group game is completed on Sunday night whether they will face the Indians in Dubai on Tuesday or New Zealand in Lahore on Wednesday.
South Africa will join Australia to wait in Dubai but one squad is destined to make the four-hour return journey back to Pakistan depending on whether India or New Zealand win on Sunday and top Group A.
Teams
India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy.
New Zealand: Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (capt), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Will O’Rourke.
Umpires: Michael Gough (ENG), Richard Illingworth (ENG) TV Umpire: Adrian Holdstock (RSA) Match Referee: David Boon (AUS)
Additional input from Reuters
