Virat Kohli once again proved his cricketing genius, leading India to a comfortable victory over Australia in the first semi-final of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
The Indian batting legend played a composed and match-winning knock of 84 runs off 95 balls, anchoring the chase with key boundaries, and guiding his team closer to the target.
India’s chase began on a shaky note at 30 for one after Shubman Gill’s dismissal. Kohli witnessed another blow soon after, with skipper Rohit Sharma falling to leave India at 34 for two.
Despite the early setbacks, Kohli steadied the ship with a crucial 91-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer, maintaining momentum in the high-pressure knockout match.
The former captain continued to build partnerships, adding 43 runs with Axar Patel before falling to Adam Zampa.
India, however, completed the chase with four wickets in hand, securing a spot in the final for the third consecutive Champions Trophy.
Earlier, Australia posted 264 runs before being bowled out in 49.3 overs.
Steve Smith and Alex Carey played pivotal roles in recovering from an early collapse, with Smith scoring 73 and Carey adding a late 61 to help Australia reach a competitive total.
