India secured its place in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy by defeating Australia by four wickets on March 4, 2025, at the Dubai International Stadium. This victory marks India's fifth appearance in a Champions Trophy final and sets the stage for the championship showdown scheduled for March 9, 2025.
Chasing Australia's target of 265 runs, India saw the experienced Virat Kohli shine with the bat, scoring 84 runs to anchor the innings. Despite losing Kohli and two early wickets, India reached their target with 11 balls to spare. KL Rahul contributed significantly to the score, remaining unbeaten on 42 and hitting the winning runs.
The semi-final clash began with Australia electing to bat first after winning the toss. They managed to compile 264 runs before being bowled out, thanks to key contributions from captain Steve Smith, who scored 73, and Alex Carey, who added 61 runs. Despite their solid starts, Australia’s innings was characterized by regular fall of wickets.
Momentum initially seemed to favor Australia, which found itself briefly shaky at 4 runs for 1 wicket. The opener, Travis Head, countered the early dismissal with 39 runs, building some momentum alongside Smith, as the duo added 54 runs before Head fell to Varun Chakravarthy. Smith and Marnus Labuschagne continued the fight, adding 50 runs for the third wicket, but India’s bowlers, led by Mohammed Shami with three wickets for 48 runs, kept ruining partnerships.
Australia lost Wicket-keeper Josh Inglis for 11, followed by Smith, whose dismissal came at a turbulent time. Smith described the pitch before the match as “much drier compared to Pakistan’s pitches, which will assist turn” and voiced intentions to put pressure on the opponents with runs. With Moore and Turner missing from their lineup, the lack of Australia’s top bowlers like Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood had begun to show.
India’s chase began cautiously, losing Shubman Gill for just 8 runs and Rybot Sharma, who was trapped leg before wicket by the debutant Cooper Connolly for 28. Following these setbacks, Kohli and Shreyas Iyer stabilized the innings, constructing a partnership of 91 runs. Iyer managed to score 45 runs before being bowled by leg-spinner Adam Zampa.
Despite Kohli’s impressive innings, he faced pressure too, earlier dropped by Glenn Maxwell at 51, before falling to Zampa, whose various delivery types kept India on their toes. Between Pandya, with his explosive performance hitting three sixes, and Rahul, they tactically took the game beyond Australia's reach as they chipped away at the remaining runs, leading to Kohli’s dismissal, which left India at 225 for 5. Soon after, Nathan Ellis dismissed Patel for 27 runs.
Hardik Pandya’s quick-fire innings came to an end on 28, but not before he had provided much-needed runs for India. The crowd roared as Rahul hit the winning six, capping off what was not just a victory but also served as redemption for India's previous loss to Australia at the 2023 ODI World Cup final.
The victory is significant as it follows two straight wins at this tournament, putting India among one of the strongest teams with momentum. The sound of joy echoed across the stadium, with fans celebrating their team's bold display against Australia. Players involved include Rahul, Kohli, and captain Sharma, who collectively led the charge.
India's bowling attack maintained pressure throughout the match, with Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja contributing two wickets each. This strong bowling performance, combined with the batters' ability to chase, placed India on course for the final showdown.
Continuing the tournament, the second semi-final will see South Africa take on New Zealand on March 5, 2025. The expectations are high as fans worldwide await to see which team will join India in the finals, set for March 9. Both teams had shown their own dominant performances to reach this stage, and fans are left with heightened anticipation for what promises to be another thrilling match.
With India claiming victory, the question now looms as they head to the finals: Can they secure the championship and avenge their past heartbreak against Australia? Only the coming matches will reveal the answer, but for now, all eyes will remain on the dynamic display of cricketing skills showcased during this exciting tournament.