New Delhi: Virat Kohli once again became cornerstone of India’s march into the final of ICC Champions Trophy with a four-wicket win over Australia in the semi-finals in Dubai on Tuesday.
The former skipper’s 84 off 98 balls studded with five boundaries anchored India’s run 265-run chase as they reached their target in 48.1 overs. It was India’s first win over Australia in ICC events since 2011 and was sweet revenge for their six-wicket defeat in the final of 2023 ODI World Cup.
Mohammed Shami (3/38) led with the ball once India lost the toss and were asked to field as Australia were bowled out for 264 in 49.3 overs. India named four spinners in their playing XI and Varun Chakravarthy, Ravindra Jadeja took two wickets each while Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel claimed one apiece.
Skipper Steve Smith (73, 96b, 4×4, 1×6) top-scored for the Aussies, putting together a 54-run stand for the fifth wicket with Alex Carey (61, 57b, 8×4, 1×6).
Travis Head (39), Marnus Labuschagne (29) also chipped in, but it was Smith who was the bedrock of the Aussie innings. He put together three fifty stands, contributing 52 runs with Head for the second wicket, 56 for the third wicket Marnus Labuschagne and 54 with Carey.
But once Smith missed a full toss and was bowled by Shami in the 37th over with the score at 198-5, Australia’s innings faltered as they failed to capitalise on the platform laid by their skipper.
Kohli on song
Kohli must have noticed it and was determined not to make the same mistake in India’s run chase. He hardly took any risks, yet still offered a catch when on 51, which Glenn Maxwell failed to catch in the 25th over, bowled by Cooper Connolly.
India were 134/2 then and Australia were made to rue that miss after dropping Rohit Sharma (28) twice earlier.
But where Rohit and Shubman Gill (8) failed, to reduce India 43/2 inside eight over, Kohli thrived as he took over the responsibility to shaping India’s run chase once again, also completing 8000 runs to be only the second batter after Sachin Tendulkar, in ODI run-chases along the way.
Together with Shreyas Iyer (45 off 62 balls, 34), Kohli stitched a 91-run stand for the fourth wicket that set the foundation on which KL Rahul (42 off 34, 2×4, 2×6) and Hardik Pandya (28 off 24, 1×4, 3×6) put the finishing touches on.
India face the winner of South Africa and New Zealand in the second semi-final on Wednesday.
Virat Kohli scored 84 runs as India entered the final of ICC Champions Trophy with a four-wicket win over Australia in first semi-final. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
