Veteran batsman Virat Kohli delivered a masterful performance, scoring a polished 84 as India secured a thrilling victory over Australia by four wickets in the Champions Trophy semi-final on Tuesday. Set a target of 265, India overcame the loss of the 36-year-old Kohli in the closing stages, with KL Rahul’s unbeaten 42 guiding them home with 11 balls to spare at the Dubai International Stadium.

India will face either South Africa or New Zealand in the final on Sunday in Dubai, having played all their matches at this venue after opting not to tour hosts Pakistan for the eight-nation event. Lahore was considered an alternate venue for the final had India not advanced.

Australia, who chose to bat first, posted a formidable total of 264 all out, thanks to key contributions from captain Steve Smith (73) and Alex Carey (61). In response, India faced early setbacks but Kohli and Shreyas Iyer (45) stabilized the innings with a crucial 91-run partnership.

Cooper Connolly, replacing the injured Matthew Short, made an impact by trapping Indian skipper Rohit Sharma lbw on 28 for his first ODI wicket. Despite the absence of their top fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, the Australian attack posed a challenge with leg spinner Adam Zampa and pace bowler Nathan Ellis.

Kohli, recently known for his unbeaten century against Pakistan, was dropped on 51 but continued to anchor the chase until Zampa dismissed him at 225-5. Rahul and Hardik Pandya (28) managed to relieve the pressure with their 34-run stand, and Rahul sealed the win with a six, much to the delight of the Indian crowd.

Earlier, Australia maintained momentum with partnerships, including a 50-plus stand between Smith and Marnus Labuschagne (29), and later between Smith and Carey. Indian pacer Mohammed Shami impressed with figures of 3-48, while spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja took two wickets each.

Australia’s innings lasted 49.3 overs, with opener Travis Head providing a brisk start with his 39 before losing his partner Connolly for a duck. India’s victory is a significant turnaround from their last encounter with Australia, where they lost in the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad.

The second semi-final is scheduled for Wednesday in Lahore.

Teams:

Australia: Cooper Connolly, Travis Head, Steven Smith (capt), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Tanveer Sangha.

India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy.

Officials:

Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (NZL), Richard Illingworth (ENG) TV Umpire: Michael Gough (ENG) Match Referee: Andy Pycroft (RSA)