In a calm and control chase, Virat Kohli starred as India beat Australia to march to the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final in Dubai.
Kohli hit 84 to guide India to a chase down the 265 with 11 balls to play.
The former captain showed why he is considered one of the best in pressure chases, pacing his innings to perfection and forming crucial partnerships through the middle overs.
Australia, after opting to bat first, posted 264 in 49.3 overs. They started briskly, with Travis Head playing his natural attacking game, scoring 39 off 33 balls before falling to Varun Chakravarthy.
But, the top order faltered against a disciplined Indian attack, with Mohammed Shami dismissing both Cooper Connolly and Steven Smith.
Smith’s 73 was the backbone of Australia’s innings, but the lack of support from others left them short of a truly imposing total.
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Alex Carey injected life into Australia’s innings with a lively 61 off 57 balls, but regular wickets at the death ensured they couldn’t accelerate as much as they wanted.
Shami ended with 3 for 48, while Jadeja and Varun took two wickets each.
India’s chase got off to a shaky start when both openers, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, departed inside eight overs.
At 43 for 2, the pressure was on, but Kohli, calm as ever, rebuilt the innings alongside Shreyas Iyer. The pair added 91 runs, balancing caution with timely boundaries.
Iyer fell for 45, but Kohli carried on, guiding the chase with help from Axar Patel and KL Rahul. Kohli’s innings was a masterclass in control — rotating the strike, finding the gaps, and keeping the required rate in check without unnecessary risks.
His 84 off 98 balls contained just five boundaries, but it was the singles and twos that kept the scoreboard moving.
Kohli eventually fell to Adam Zampa in the 43rd over, but by then India were firmly in control. Rahul’s unbeaten 42 off 34 and Pandya’s quick 28 ensured there were no late stumbles, and India reached 267 for 6 with ease.
“It was pretty similar to the other day against Pakistan,” Kohli said after the match. “Understanding conditions, rotating the strike and building partnerships was the key.”
This win puts India in the second consecutive final of the ICC Champion Trophy. In the last final in 2017, they lost to Pakistan. This time, they have got another chance to lift the Champions Trophy title.