Alex Carey was on the verge of taking the game away from India during the first semi-final of the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium. However, Shreyas Iyer's brilliant fielding turned the tide, giving India a crucial wicket and halting the momentum of Steve Smith and his team. Carey, who scored 61 runs, seemed poised to push Australia past the 275-run mark. But Shreyas' impressive direct hit from the deep resulted in Carey's dismissal, putting Australia on the back foot.

On the very first ball of the 48th over, Carey pulled the ball behind square. In an attempt to keep the strike, he decided to go for a quick double. That's when Shreyas Iyer sprinted in from deep backward square leg, scooped up the ball, and unleashed a perfect throw to the keeper. Carey was caught well short of his crease and had to head back to the pavilion.

Carey scored 61 runs, hitting 8 fours and 1 six along the way. He partnered with captain Steve Smith for a crucial 54-run partnership for the fifth wicket, aiming to push Australia over the 300-run threshold.

But then, Mohammed Shami delivered a full toss that got Smith out for 73. Australia continued to lose wickets consistently and ultimately couldn't last the full 50 overs, getting bowled out for 264.

Alex Carey's impressive performance

Alex Carey really put a stop to India's spinners taking control during the middle overs. The left-handed batsman was on point, perfectly timing his shots whether he was on the front or back foot.

He especially targeted Kuldeep Yadav, not giving the left-arm spinner a chance to find his rhythm. Kuldeep ended up with the worst bowling stats among India's spinners, largely due to Carey's aggressive play.

Earlier, Australia’s captain Steve Smith won the toss and chose to bat first. Mohammed Shami stood out among the Indian bowlers, finishing with figures of 3/48. He took down Cooper Connolly, Steve Smith, and Nathan Ellis. Varun Chakaravarthy also made an impact with two wickets, including the crucial one of Travis Head, who scored 39 off 33 balls before getting out.

The winner of this semi-final will face either New Zealand or South Africa in the final on Sunday. If India comes out on top, the match will be held in Dubai; otherwise, it’ll take place in Lahore.

Read Also: Cooper Connolly's Champions Trophy Nightmare: Beaten Seven Times by Mohammed Shami

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