Desk
Share
Dubai: Virat Kohli once again proved why he is India’s backbone in pressure chases, leading the Men in Blue to a four-wicket victory over Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final at the Dubai International Stadium. With this win, India has reached its third consecutive Champions Trophy final and its fourth straight ICC event final, reaffirming their dominance in world cricket.
India’s Run Chase: Kohli Anchors the Innings
Target: 264 | India – 267/6 (48.1 overs)
Chasing 264, India got off to a shaky start as Shubman Gill fell early for 8 (11 balls), followed by Rohit Sharma’s 28 (29 balls) despite being dropped twice.
91-Run Partnership Stabilizes Innings
- Virat Kohli (84 off 98 balls) and Shreyas Iyer (45 off 62 balls) took charge, stitching together a crucial 91-run stand.
- Adam Zampa provided a breakthrough, dismissing Iyer, keeping Australia in the game.
Middle-Order Contributions Seal the Win
- KL Rahul (42 off 34 balls) played a composed innings.
- Axar Patel (27 off 30 balls) and Hardik Pandya (28 off 24 balls) played impactful cameos.
- India reached the target with 11 balls to spare, completing another successful chase in an ICC knockout match.
Australia’s Innings: Smith’s 73 Anchors a Fighting Total
Australia – 264 all out (49.3 overs)
Winning the toss, Steve Smith opted to bat, making two changes to the playing XI. However, India’s bowlers kept Australia from building a big total.
Early Setbacks for Australia
- Mohammed Shami struck first, dismissing Cooper Connolly for a 9-ball duck.
- Travis Head had a slow start (1 off 10 balls) but picked up pace, scoring 39 off 33 balls, before falling to Varun Chakravarthy.
Smith & Labuschagne’s Stand Keeps Australia Afloat
- Steve Smith (73 off 96 balls) and Marnus Labuschagne (29 off 45 balls) built a 56-run partnership, steadying the innings.
- Ravindra Jadeja broke the stand, dismissing Labuschagne and Josh Inglis (11).
Carey’s Counterattack & Late Collapse
- Alex Carey (61 off 57 balls) provided a late surge with Smith.
- However, Shami removed Smith, halting Australia's momentum.
- Australia was bowled out for 264 in 49.3 overs.
India’s Best Bowlers:
- Mohammed Shami – 3/48 (10 overs)
- Varun Chakravarthy – 2/49
- Ravindra Jadeja – 2/40
- Axar Patel & Hardik Pandya – 1 wicket each
The Road to the Final: India Awaits Opponent
Final Match Venue: Dubai
Date: Sunday, March 9
Opponent: South Africa or New Zealand (Winner of the second semi-final)
With India reaching the final, Lahore is ruled out as a venue for the title clash.
As India prepares for yet another ICC final, Kohli’s vintage knock and the team’s all-round performance have set the stage for a thrilling summit clash. Will the Men in Blue bring home another ICC trophy?
