Virat Kohli’s composed 84 off 98 balls guided India to a four-wicket victory over Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final on Tuesday, securing their place in the final.
Chasing 265, India comfortably overhauled the target in 48.1 overs, with Kohli leading the charge alongside crucial contributions from Shreyas Iyer (45), KL Rahul (42), and Hardik Pandya (28).
Earlier, Australia, opting to bat first, posted 264 before being bowled out in 49.3 overs. Captain Steve Smith top-scored with 73 off 96 balls, building key partnerships with Travis Head (39) and Marnus Labuschagne (29), while Alex Carey chipped in with a vital 61.
India’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance, with Mohammed Shami (3/38) leading the attack.
Varun Chakravarthy (2/49) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/40) provided valuable breakthroughs, restricting Australia to a chaseable total.
In response, India lost openers Rohit Sharma (28) and Shubman Gill (8) early, but Kohli anchored the innings. He shared a crucial 91-run stand with Iyer and was well-supported by Rahul and Pandya as India paced their chase to perfection.
With this victory, India marches into the final, eyeing their third Champions Trophy title.
Australia: 264 all out in 49.3 overs (Steve Smith 73, Alex Carey 61, Travis Head 39; Mohammed Shami 3/38, Ravindra Jadeja 2/40, Varun Chakravarthy 2/49).
India: 267/6 in 48.1 overs (Virat Kohli 84, Shreyas Iyer 45, KL Rahul 42; Adam Zampa 2/60).
