IND vs AUS highlights, Champions Trophy semifinal: A stellar all-round performance, highlighted by Virat Kohli's batting brilliance, propelled India to a four-wicket victory over Australia in IND vs AUS Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, March 4.
India now secures a spot in ICC Champions Trophy final on Sunday (March 9), where they will take on the winner of SA vs NZ semi-final, scheduled for tomorrow in Pakistan.
By successfully chasing the 265-run target, India became the first team in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 to surpass the 250-run mark in Dubai. In ODI history, a total of over 250 has been chased successfully only three times at this venue, with the highest being Sri Lanka's 285-run chase against Pakistan in 2013.
At one stage, India's chase of 265 looked comfortable, but credit to Australia's disciplined bowling and sharp fielding for making it a challenging contest. Shreyas Iyer (45), KL Rahul (42*), and Hardik Pandya (28) played crucial cameos in India's successful chase.
After winning the toss, Australia opted to bat first and were bowled out for 264 in 49.3 overs.
Smith and Carey anchor Australia's innings
Australia got off to a shaky start as Mohammad Shami dismissed Cooper Connolly for a duck. Travis Head looked promising but fell to Varun Chakravarthy after scoring 39. Captain Steve Smith played a crucial knock of 73, stabilizing the innings, while Alex Carey added 61 off 57 balls before being run out.
Marnus Labuschagne (29), Ben Dwarshuis (19), Nathan Ellis (10), and Glenn Maxwell (7) chipped in with small contributions, while Josh Inglis (11) and Adam Zampa (7) couldn't make a big impact.
Indian bowlers deliver under pressure
India's bowlers put on a disciplined performance to keep Australia in check. Veteran Mohammad Shami led the attack with three wickets, while Varun Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja claimed two each. Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel also contributed with a wicket apiece, ensuring Australia couldn't post an imposing total.