India beat Australia by four wickets to reach Champions Trophy final

India reached the final of the Champions Trophy beating Australia by four wickets in the first semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday. Australia rode half-centuries by skipper Steve Smith and Alex Carey to post a competitive 264 all out at a venue which has typically produced low-scoring contests in the tournament.
Chasing a target of 265 runs set by Australia, the Men in Blue successfully overhauled the target, scoring 267 for the loss of six wickets in 48.1 overs in the first semi-final of the tournament. Virat Kohli was the top scorer for India, contributing 84 runs off 98 balls. Shreyas Iyer made 45 off 62 balls, KL Rahul scored 42 off 34 balls, and Hardik Pandya added 28 from 24 balls, all playing crucial knocks. For Australia, Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa took two wickets each, while Cooper Connolly and Ben Dwarshuis picked up one wicket apiece.
Earlier, opting to bat first, Australia was bowled out for 264 runs with three balls to spare, after the disciplined bowling efforts of the Men in Blue. Skipper Steven Smith was the top scorer for Australia, posting 73 runs off 96 balls, followed by Alex Carey with 61 runs off 57 balls. Travis Head also made a valuable contribution, scoring 39 off 33 balls.
On the other hand, Mohammed Shami was the pick of the Indian bowlers, taking three wickets, while Varun Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja each claimed two wickets. Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya took one wicket apiece.

India edge out Australia in a nervy chase to punch their ticket to the #ChampionsTrophy Final #INDvAUS https://t.co/hFrI2t8AC9 pic.twitter.com/ftpmHXJ2m4

— ICC (@ICC) March 4, 2025

In the second semi-final tomorrow, New Zealand will face South Africa in Lahore. The winners of both semi-finals will clash in the final on Sunday.