Australia & SA face wasted trip to Dubai before semi-final

Australia and South Africa will travel to Dubai before the Champions Trophy semi-finals, despite not knowing whether they will play there or in Pakistan.

The second match will be played in Lahore, Pakistan, a day later, and Dubai will host the first semi-final on Tuesday.

After deciding against traveling to Pakistan, India, who are guaranteed to win Group A, will play all of their matches in Dubai.

South Africa’s match against England on Saturday is Group B’s final match, but neither the Proteas nor Australia will know where their semi-final will take place until Sunday when India’s match against New Zealand is finished.

That would prevent them from attempting to train in Dubai, where India will have played all three of their group games, if they had to wait until Monday and only travel when the fixtures were finalized.

It raises the possibility that Australia will take the three-hour flight from Lahore to Dubai on Saturday only to have to return to Lahore on Monday if they do not meet India.

Which team receives Group B from the winner, and vice versa, when they finish second. Regardless of their group position, India will always be guaranteed to reach the semi-finals on Tuesday.

India’s dominance of playing all of their matches there has been criticized throughout the tournament.

Other artists have performed at both the Pakistani and Dubai venues.

It’s definitely advantageous to stay in one place, stay in one hotel, practice in the same facilities, play in the same stadium, and play on the same pitches each time, according to South Africa pitcher Rassie van der Dussen earlier this week.

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to realize that, I believe.

India are “camping out in Dubai, playing on the same ground and in the same locations in the changing room,” according to BBC cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew.