What will happen if rain washes out India vs Australia 2025 Champions Trophy semifinal?

India will lock horns with Australia in the first semifinal of the 2025 Champions Trophy on Tuesday (March 4) in Dubai. As per the weather forecast, there are no chances of rain during the clash, and it is expected to be warm throughout the day. However, let's check out the scenario if the game gets washed out.

If the rain has a final say on Tuesday, the game will resume on the reserve day (Wednesday) from the juncture where it stopped. Meanwhile, the second semifinal between South Africa and New Zealand in Lahore will also be shifted to Thursday (March 6).

If the weather doesn't allow the first semifinal to resume on Wednesday as well, the team finishing on the top of their respective group will qualify for the final. Notably, the Men in Blue topped Group A with three wins, while Australia were second in Group B with a solitary win in three appearances (two no results).

Likewise, South Africa will have an advantage if the rain plays a spoilsport in their semifinal game against New Zealand. The Proteas finished as table-toppers in Group B with two victories in three games (one no result).

Moreover, as per the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, the team batting second should have played at least 25 overs to decide the fate of the game. Otherwise, the game will be called off and the group standings will come into effect.

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2025 Champions Trophy semifinal between India-Australia to be played on fresh pitch in Dubai

As per reports, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has rolled out a fresh pitch for the 2025 Champions Trophy semifinal between India and Australia in Dubai. Interestingly, all three India games were played on different pitches, despite being hosted by the same venue.

Notably, Australian captain Steve Smith also felt that the pitch was dry, and it would be a challenging task for them to tackle Indian spinners.

Here's what Steve Smith said in a pre-match press conference (via ICC):

“I think there's going to be some spin and yeah, we've got to counter that. We'll see how we do that tomorrow. We've got a few options on how we can go about it."

With no moisture on the surface, the Dubai pitch is likely to assist the spinners.