The first semi-final of the Champions Trophy 2025 will be remembered for India's bold decision to field a lineup with just one specialist fast bowler in a knockout match. Notably, this is the first time in 97 years of international cricket that India has opted for such a combination in either a semi-final or final of an ICC event.

When specifically considering ICC ODI semi-finals and finals, this marks only the fourth instance of a team fielding fewer than two pacers. Interestingly, the first two such instances occurred during the initial editions of the Champions Trophy in 1998 and 2000, respectively. Over a decade after these rare combinations in Dhaka and Nairobi, Sri Lanka became the first team to field only one specialist fast bowler in a World Cup semi-final.