India beat Australia with four wickets in Dubai in their first semifinals at the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Virat Kohli led with 84 runs from 84 98 balls as India defeated Australia with four wickets to reach the final of the Champions Trophy.
Kohli’s 74th ODI half-century helped India finish 267-6 to reply to all of Australia’s 264 in the first semi-finals on Tuesday.
Pace bowler Mohamed Shami led the Indian bowling, taking 3-48 in 10 overs, limiting Australia to a slow wicket.
“This game is all about pressure. If you go deeper, the opposition usually succumbs,” Kohli said.
Steve Smith scored the top score in Australia, with 73 off-off on 96 balls. Indian spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja each grabbed two wickets.
In India, Shreiyas Ayer won 91 out of 111 balls for the third wicket and chased. Lokesh Rahul finished with 42 not coming out of 34 balls as India registered the best tracking against Australia in the ICC event.
India’s victory confirms that the final will take place in Dubai. In Dubai, the 2013 champions will face the winner between South Africa and New Zealand who played in Lahore, Pakistan on Wednesday. If India had finished the tournament, Lahore would have held the final.
After Australia won a toss and chose the bat, Shami attacked early as opener Cooper Connolly was pinched behind due to a nine-ball duck.
Smith locked in a calm half-century half-century, starting the Australian innings slowly, but 50 off 32 balls for the second wicket that hit five fours and two sixes to score 39 of 33 balls. Chakravarthy gets him into the ninth time, and Shubman Gill has a deep run.
Marnus Labuschagne scored 29 and added another 56 runs with Smith for the third wicket, but the Indian spinner dominated the middle over after Rohit Sharma changed bowlers.
Jadeja locked up Labuschagne LBW on the 23rd, and Josh Inglis went out after four overs.
It tied Smith and Carrie together, and after they added 54 balls from 58 balls, Shami returned to Bowl Smith for his 37th timely breakthrough. It became a double blow as Axar Patel bowled Glenn Maxwell (7) in the next over.
At 205-6, Carrie dug up Australia and hit 8 four and six, reaching 50 balls from 48 balls.
After the carry was gone, Australia surpassed the 250 mark in 48th place, while Ben Dwarschwis scored 19 runs on 4 and 6, but the total was still under about 20-30 runs.
Chasing 265, Sharma hit three fours and sixes to get 28 out of the ball of 29, but Shubman Gill was one in eighth. Connolly locked up Sharma LBW in the eighth time, tying Kohli and Ayer.
Their partnership proved important.
Kohli hit five Fours in total, reaching 50 from 53 balls. Together, they will not make the execution rate India needs to control their tracking too high.
Zampa missed a return catch from Kohli, but was fixed by Bowling Ire on the other end. Axar Patel scored 27 gentle points from 30 balls, which didn’t cause the necessary collapse.
The game went deeper as India lost a wicket whenever it seemed to be in full control. Patel was bowled for the 35th time, and Kohli was caught up in the border off Zampa for the run of the 43rd play.
Rahul finished things with two Fours and two sixes, and ended up unbeaten. Hardik Pandya got things moving by getting 28 balls out of three six balls, as India never really bothered the pursuit.
“In the middle stage, we felt it was a reasonable score,” Sharma said. “The nature of the pitch makes it impossible to play shots. We were clinical with bats and chased calmly.”
South Africa and New Zealand will play their second semi-finals in Lahore, Pakistan on Wednesday.
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