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Kuljyot Singh

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Virat Kohli batted superbly well in the middle-overs to lead another run-chase

India vs Australia: 3 turning points from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final clash

Virat Kohli batted superbly well in the middle-overs to lead another run-chase (Credits: BCCI/X)

All hail King Kohli! Team India have qualified for the third consecutive ICC Champions Trophy finals after having registered an emphatic 4-wicket win over Australia in the first semi-final encounter played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Tuesday. Virat Kohli played another sensational knock of 84 runs off 98 deliveries to guide India magnificently well during the run-chase while getting some important support from the middle-order batters as well. With a spectacular unbeaten streak, India now has their eyes on the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 title when they play the grand finale encounter on 9 March, 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai. 

India vs Australia: Varun Chakravarthy gets rid of the dangerous Travis Head

After having lost the toss and being asked to bowl first, the Indian cricket team were once again put under immense pressure by Australia's explosive opening batsman Travis Head. India's senior fast bowler Mohammed Shami got rid of the other opener, Cooper Connolly, quite early in the innings. However, Head was once again taking on the opposition bowlers, dispatching them in all parts of the game before mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy sent him back to the pavilion in his very first over of the day. The Aussie left-hander managed to score 39 runs off 33 deliveries that included 5 fours and 2 sixes. 

Smith and Carey's fifties help Australia reach a competitive score in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final clash

Australian captain Steve Smith led his team from the front as he batted really well against the Indian spinners especially during the middle-overs. The Aussie skipper scored a fine innings of 73 runs off 96 balls before getting clean bowled by Shami. However, at the other end, Alex Carey too played a fantastic counter-attacking knock of 61 runs off 57 deliveries to help Australia reach a competitive score of 264 runs in 49.3 overs. For India, Shami was the pick of the bowlers with three vital wickets while Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja also took two scalps each. 

Virat Kohli controls yet another run-chase with the support of India middle-order

During the tricky-run chase, India lost the wicket of Shubman Gill early while skipper Rohit Sharma too departed after contributing a quick-fire 28 runs. The pair of Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer then got together to lay down the perfect foundation of the chase in the middle-overs phase. The duo added a beautiful partnership of 91 runs to help India claim a strong position in the match before Iyer lost his wicket, having scored a crucial 45 runs off 62 balls. After Iyer's wicket, Kohli guided another fine partnership of 44 runs with Axar Patel. Things were once again set up amazingly well for another Virat Kohli hundred in a successful run-chase, but he was dismissed for 84 runs. 

Towards the end, the duo of KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya gave the finishing touches to help India reach the winning total with as many as 11 balls to spare. Rahul played an impressive unbeaten knock of 42 runs off just 34 deliveries while Pandya smacked 28 runs off 24 balls. 

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