Kohli’s 84 helps India to reach Champions Trophy final (Image Credit:- X)

India beat Australia by 4 wickets in first semi-final and enter into ICC Champions Trophy final for the third time in a row. India chased down 265 runs target set by Australia in 48.1 overs with 4 wickets remaining. Virat Kohli named Player of the Match for his knock of 84 runs from 98 balls.

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Elected to bat first Australia lost their opener Cooper Connolly for without scoring to Mohammed Shami. Travis Head (39 runs from 33 balls) and Steven Smith (73 runs from 96 balls) steadied the Australian innings with 50 run stand for the second wicket. Spinner Varun Chakravarthy broken the partnership by dismissing dangerous Travis Head.

Mohammad Shami drops Travis Head on zero and Steven Smith on 36 on his on bowling.

Captain Smith scores 73 runs for Australia (Image Credit:- X)

Steven Smith along with Marnus Labuschagne (29 runs from 36 balls) added another 56 runs for the third wicket. Left arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja trapped Marnus Labuschagne in front of the stumps and also dismissed Josh Inglis (11 runs from 12 balls) who came to bat at No.5 to push Australia to 144/4 27 overs.

For India pacer Mohammed Shami picked 3 wickets for 48 runs in his 10 overs. Ravindra Jadeja (2/40 in 8 overs) , Varun Chakravarthy (2/49 in 10 overs) , Hardik Pandya (1/40 in 5.3 overs) and Axar Patel (1/43 in 8 overs) are the other wicket takers for India.

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Australia left arm pacer Ben Dwarshuis dismissed Shubman Gill for 8 and left arm spinner Cooper Connolly trapped Rohit Sharma in front of the stumps. Australia dropped Rohit Sharma twice before he got out for 28.

Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer put together 91 runs for the third wicket (Image credit:- X)

Virat Kohli (84 runs from 98 balls) and Shreyas Iyer (45 runs from 62 balls) added 91 runs for the third wicket and kept India in the chase. Adam Zampa clean bowled Shreyas Iyer to broke the partnership. Axar Patel who came to bat at No.5 added 44 runs with Kohli for the fourth wicket.

Virat Kohli fell to the leg spinner Adam Zampa on 84 when India needed 40 more runs to win. K.L.Rahul (42* runs from 34 balls) and Hardik Pandya (28 runs from 24 balls) bring India closer with 34 run partnership. Hardik Pandya got out to Nathan Ellis when he tried to finish the game with a six.

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K.L.Rahul hit a six off the first ball of the 49^th over to finish the game for India and to reach the Champions Trophy final for the third time in a row. Ravindra Jadeja (2* runs from 1 ball) remains unbeaten along with K.L.Rahul.

Nathan Ellis (2/49 in 10 overs) , Adam Zampa (2/60 in 10 overs) Cooper Connolly (1/37 in 8 overs) and Ben Dwarshuis (1/39 in 7 overs) are the wicket takers for Australia.

Player of the Match:- Virat Kohli (84 runs from 98 balls)

Second Semi-Final (05/03/25):- South Africa vs New Zealand at Lahore , 02:30 PM (IST).