IND vs AUS: INDIA Beat AUSTRALIA in SEMIFINAL; Enters the FINAL of ICC Champions Trophy 2025
REVENGED! India have defeated Australia in the knockout match of an ICC Tournament. INDIA beat Australia by 4 wickets in the first semifinals, courtesy to one of the finest innings from Virat Kohli and valuable contributions from the middle order.
INDIA would be pleased with the Result at a knockout match against Australia. Virat Kohli played a wonderful innings of 84 runs and invaluable runs from number-5, 6, and 7 batters took India home safe.
Both teams were full of spinning options, but India had the quality today. The inexperienced bowling lineup got exposed again the best batting lineup, and this was the differentiating factor.
Let's take a look at the toss updates and match highlights of the IND vs AUS match at the semifinals:
IND vs AUS Match Highlights
Toss and Team Updates
Rohit Sharma again lost the toss, and Australia opted to bat first. India played the same XI, and Australia made two changes- Tanveer Sangha in for Spencer, Cooper Connolly in for Matt Short.
INDIA Playing11: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy
Australia Playing11: Cooper Connolly, Travis Head, Steven Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Tanveer Sangha
Australia Innings- 264/10 (49.3)
Australia’s innings began on a shaky note as Cooper Connolly departed for a duck in the third over, failing to get bat on ball against a fiery Mohammed Shami. But Travis Head came out all guns blazing, finding the boundary at will and keeping the scoreboard ticking.
Just when it seemed like he would take the game away, Varun Chakravarthy struck gold, removing him for 39(33) with a mistimed lofted shot.
Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne steadied the ship with a crucial 56-run stand. Labuschagne, after showing some promise, fell lbw to Jadeja for 29(36), leaving Australia at 110/3. Smith, the backbone of the innings, built another handy stand with Josh Inglis, but just when they started looking comfortable, disaster struck again.
Inglis, attempting a casual push, spooned a simple catch to Kohli for 11(12). Smith soldiered on, reaching a well-compiled 73(96), but his dismissal to a low full toss from Shami was a hammer blow for Australia at 198/5. Maxwell gave the crowd a glimpse of his power with a six but missed a straight one from Axar Patel, getting bowled for just 7.
From 205/6, Australia desperately needed a late flourish, and Alex Carey took it upon himself to counterattack. Carey’s knock of 61(57) was the last beacon of hope for Australia, but a brilliant direct hit from Shreyas Iyer cut his innings short at 249/8. The lower order swung their bats, with Nathan Ellis smashing a six before falling for 10(7).
The innings wrapped up in the final over as Hardik Pandya knocked over Adam Zampa, leaving Australia bowled out for 264. India’s bowlers kept chipping away, never allowing a partnership to blossom for too long. Shami led the charge with key wickets, while Axar, Jadeja, and Varun Chakravarthy played their roles to perfection. Australia’s innings had its moments, but in the end, it felt like a case of “so close, yet so far” as they fell short of truly imposing total.
India's Chase- 267/6 (48.1 overs)
India’s chase began with intent as Rohit Sharma wasted no time, flicking the first boundary off his pads in the opening over. He followed it up with a commanding pull for six off Nathan Ellis. However, luck was on his side early on—first, Connolly dropped a regulation catch, and then Marnus Labuschagne couldn’t hold onto another tough chance. Shubman Gill, after showing glimpses of brilliance, couldn’t make it count as he dragged one onto his stumps off Dwarshuis, falling for 8(11).
Rohit continued his onslaught, smashing a straight drive that had umpire Chris Gaffaney scrambling for cover. It wasn't too late and Connolly made up for his earlier drop by trapping him lbw for 28(29), letting out a roar of relief. With India at 43/2, Australia had a real opening.
Virat Kohli, the man for the big occasion, walked in and got going with a crisp chip over mid-off for four. Shreyas Iyer, meanwhile, had a shaky start. Kohli punished anything loose, while Shreyas was active on strike rotation. Kohli brought up his fifty—his 74th in ODIs—with a controlled pull off Zampa.
Shreyas Iyer, growing in confidence, played some delightful strokes, working the gaps and running hard between the wickets. His partnership with Kohli proved to be the backbone of India’s innings, frustrating the Australian bowlers, but Zampa got one straight and quick to get rid of Shreyas (45)
Axar Patel chipped in with a handy knock, but after his dismissal at 178/4, it was all about keeping things steady, and then a mistimed shot by Kohli to long on made him the second wicket of Zampa. KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya, the blend of aggression and class took India just on the doorsteps of the win. Hardik Pandya got caught, but it was too late for Australia to pick anything from it. KL Rahul finishes it in style with a BIG SIX. INDIA beat Australia by 4 wickets.
With Kohli at the crease, the chase never looked out of control. India paced their innings smartly, never letting pressure build, and despite a few hiccups early on, they remained on course. The clinical batting display ensured that Australia’s bowlers never truly clawed back into the game.