Celebrities Start Partying Before the Oscars and Keep Going All Weekend

By Callie Holtermann from NYT Style https://ift.tt/GOdJ0cN

CT 2025 Semi-Final Line-Up Confirmed: Full Schedule, Match Timings, Venues

The Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final line-up is out! It's India vs Australia in the first Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday while New Zealand will face South Africa in the second semi-final in Lahore on Wednesday.  Varun Chakravarthy led India's charge with a superb 5-42, the best figures by a bowler in the ongoing tournament, as India beat New Zealand by 44 runs in the final Group A match at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. The win means India finish as Group A toppers and will now face Australia in the first semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday, in what is a re-match of the 2023 ODI World Cup final. New Zealand, meanwhile, will take on South Africa in the second semi-final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday.

Both matches will start at 2:30 PM IST, while the toss will be at 2 PM.

Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final line-up

India vs Australia, 1st semi-final, March 3, 2:30 PM IST 

New Zealand vs South Africa, 2nd semi-final, March 4, 2:30 PM IST 

After Shreyas Iyer's 79 helped India reach 249/9 in 50 overs, Chakaravarthy deceived the Blackcaps batters with his pace and variations to finish with 5-42 in his ten overs on Champions Trophy debut and bowl them out for 205 in 45.3 overs.

For New Zealand, Kane Williamson waged a lone battle through his 81 off 120 balls on a tricky pitch, where he relied on nudges, glances and inside-out shots for boundaries. But with the Indian spin quartet applying the squeeze in middle overs, it meant that the Rohit Sharma & Co continued their unbeaten run in the tournament.

India could have got their first wicket in the fourth over if Will Young's catch wasn't dropped by Chakaravarthy at mid-on off Hardik Pandya's bowling, with the fielder kicking the ball off the boot for four. But four balls later, Pandya provided the early breakthrough as Rachin Ravindra upper-cut to deep third, where Axar Patel took a low diving catch.

Though Young and Williamson hit some tight boundaries, India didn't let them go off the hook as New Zealand made 44/1 in the first power-play. Varun Chakaravarthy, who found enough turn in his first over, got him on the wickets board by having Young inside-edge a googly onto his stumps.

With India's spinners getting lots of turn, Williamson, given a life on 32 by Chakaravarthy, and Mitchell were content in playing the waiting game while hitting boundaries occasionally in their 44-run stand for the third wicket. But Kuldeep Yadav broke the partnership as he got a googly to spin past the inside edge and trap Mitchell lbw for 17.

Williamson hanged around to get his fifty off 77 balls by tickling Jadeja through fine leg for four, and keep New Zealand alive in the chase by hitting an inside-out drive against the spinner for another boundary. But Jadeja bounced back by trapping a reverse-sweeping Tom Latham lbw for 14.

Jadeja could have got Williamson out on 68 if KL Rahul had grabbed the chance. But Chakaravarthy struck twice in his two overs to trap Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell lbw, though replays showed the latter would have been not out as the ball missed the stumps.

The game's result became a foregone conclusion when Williamson danced down the pitch to hit Axar over mid-on, but missed the delivery and was stumped easily by Rahul for a gritty 81 off 120 balls. Mitchell Santner hit some late boundaries in making 28 off 31 balls, till his off-stump was uprooted by Chakaravarthy, who picked a five-wicket haul and effectively sealed the deal in India's favour.

Brief Scores: India 249/9 in 50 overs (Shreyas Iyer 79, Hardik Pandya 45; Matt Henry 5-42) beat New Zealand 205/10 in 45.3 overs (Kane Williamson 81, Mitchell Santner 28; Varun Chakaravarthy 5-42, Kuldeep Yadav 2-56) by 44 runs

With IANS inputs 

from NDTV Sports-Latest https://ift.tt/n06eVU3

"Reflects Their Mindset...": Ashwin Launches Scathing Attack On England

England flattered to deceive in the Champions Trophy 2025, culminating in yet another group stage exit from a major ICC tournament. England were defeated by Afghanistan on Wednesday, confirming their elimination from the Champions Trophy. It was also their sixth defeat in a row in ODIs, following on from a disastrous 0-3 series defeat against India. The England team has come under attack from several experts, and the latest to join that list is legendary Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. The 37-year-old also picked out Harry Brook for criticism.

"There is no consistent template in your batting. You were marketing and branding Harry Brook as the next generation sensation. But Harry Brook's game is also sinking. He is now under immense pressure to produce match-winning knocks," Ashwin said, speaking on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin criticised England's mentality, highlighting opener Ben Duckett's comment after the India series. Duckett had stated that he did not mind losing 0-3 to India as long as they beat them in the Champions Trophy.

"It reflects their mindset. Is it so easy to go to a major competition and win the final?" Ashwin questioned.

This is the second successive 50-over tournament where England have failed to make the knockout stage, after the 2023 World Cup. On that occasion, England had finished seventh out of 10 teams.

Ashwin also raised concern over England's approach during the 'Bazball' era.

"I saw Jos Buttler's post-match interview (after losing to Afghanistan). He was very candid in saying, 'I do not know what my leadership aspirations are in the future'," Ashwin pointed out.

"England, I still feel, treats sub-continental tours just as a tick box. Has the time come for England to really dig in and think about it," Ashwin stated.

"What's happened with England in this Bazball generation is something that they have to retrospect," he added.

On Wednesday, England failed to chase down a target of 326, despite being in the run chase all the way through. England kept losing wickets at crucial intervals, ultimately resulting in their second successive defeat to Afghanistan in 50-over ICC tournaments.

England were in dreadful form heading into the Champions Trophy as well. They lost 2-1 to West Indies in a three-match ODI series, before being outclassed by India in India.

Once the reigning champion of both the T20 World Cup and the ODI World Cup at the same time, things have gone pear-shaped for England now, particularly in white-ball cricket.

from NDTV Sports-Latest https://ift.tt/UEvwFIV