Virat Kohli slammed a sensational half-century while Hardik Pandya produced late fireworks as India defeat Australia by four wickets to reach the Champions Trophy 2025 final in Dubai on Tuesday. Chasing 265, Kohli was once again the top performer with 84 but it needed a cameo from Hardik to clinch the win for India. Hardik slammed 28 runs off 24 deliveries with the help of one four and three massive sixes. The match went down to the wire with India needing 27 runs to win from 24 balls but Hardik was able to help the cause massively with two sixes off Adam Zampa. The sixes sent the crowd into frenzy and the reaction of Virat in the Indian dressing room has gone viral on social media.
Batting first, Australia were bowled out for 264 in 49.3 overs and India chased it down with 11 balls to spare. Besides Kohli's 98-ball knock, Shreyas Iyer made 45 while KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya chipped in with 42 and 28 respectively in the first semifinal.
Earlier, captain Steve Smith and Alex Carey struck fifties to guide Australia past 260.
Smith top-scored with 73 off 96 balls as he stitched two crucial partnerships, first with Travis Head (39) for the second wicket, which yielded 50 runs, and then with Marnus Labuschagne (29) for the third for another 56 runs.
Carey made 61.
For India, Mohammed Shami (3/38) grabbed three wickets while Varun Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja took two wickets apiece.
(With PTI inputs)