Champions Trophy: Chase Master Kohli shines as India beat Australia to final

Photo: AFP

Virat Kohli didn’t need to check the scoreboard to know how India was doing. With every run he took, every gap he found, and every partnership he built, he could feel the team getting closer to victory. Once again, Kohli showed why he is called the 'Chase Master' as he led India to a four-wicket win over Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday.

Unlike their performance in the 2023 World Cup final, Australia’s bowling attack didn’t seem as strong this time. Kohli played with great control and patience, carefully picking his shots, much like a boxer landing precise punches to knock out his opponent. His disciplined batting made sure Australia had no way back into the match.

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Kohli always seems to perform at his best when India is chasing a target. The pressure brings out his true strength.

“The pitch was similar to the one we played on against Pakistan. The key was to understand the conditions and keep rotating the strike. Partnerships were very important,” Kohli said after being named Player of the Match.

Speaking about his innings, he added, “Everything depends on the conditions. Staying calm and composed at the crease is very important. I wasn’t in a hurry. The singles I took were the most satisfying part of my game today.

“This game is all about handling pressure. If you stay in control and play till the end, the opposition usually gives up. Even if the required run rate is six per over, I don’t worry.”

Kohli played smartly, keeping his shots along the ground and avoiding unnecessary risks. He read Adam Zampa’s googly well and finally played his first big shot—a six over midwicket. Unfortunately, he got out for 84, missing his 52nd century.

“I don’t know if this was my best inning. That’s for you all to decide. I have never focused on milestones. If I score a hundred, that’s great, but winning is more important. These things don’t matter to me anymore,” he said.

Shami, Chakravarthy Stop Australia from Scoring Big

Australia chose to bat first, and Travis Head looked dangerous at the start. However, Varun Chakravarthy struck in just his second ball, breaking Australia’s momentum. Steve Smith kept the innings steady, building three fifty-run partnerships—with Head, Marnus Labuschagne, and Alex Carey—to keep Australia in a good position.

Mohammed Shami had a tough time early on, missing two caught-and-bowled chances off Head and Smith. But he made a strong comeback by dismissing the Australian captain with a full toss. After Smith got out, Glenn Maxwell followed soon, and a run-out of Carey further weakened Australia. In the end, they were all out for 264, at least 30 runs short of a competitive total.

Shami, returning from an injury, was the most economical Indian bowler, finishing with 3 for 48.

Kohli, Shreyas Guide India After Early Wickets

Rohit Sharma started aggressively, looking to give India a fast start. But after Shubman Gill got out early and Rohit followed soon after, Kohli and Shreyas Iyer took control. Their 91-run partnership for the fourth wicket steadied the chase.

Kohli then formed two more crucial partnerships—with Axar Patel and KL Rahul—to take India close to victory. In the final moments, Hardik Pandya’s quick hitting and Rahul’s steady 42 not out ensured India won with 11 balls to spare.

“At the halfway stage, we felt the target was within reach. The pitch was getting better for batting, which has been the case in this tournament. Credit to the entire team for the effort. Having six bowling options gave us flexibility,” said a delighted Rohit Sharma.

“Kohli has done this for us so many times. The partnership between him and Shreyas was very important. And in the end, Hardik’s big hits made the job easier,” he added.

India Awaits the Final Showdown

India will now face the winner of the second semi-final between New Zealand and South Africa, which will be played in Lahore on Wednesday.

Speaking about the final, Rohit said, “We want all our players to be in good form, as that will give us confidence. But we don’t want to think too much about the final. I just want the team to relax and enjoy the moment.”

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