Kohli, Shami Shine as India Storm into Champions Trophy Final

Kohli, Shami Shine as India Storm into Champions Trophy Final

For decades, Australia dominated the latter stages of ICC tournaments, but India is steadily rewriting that narrative. With their latest triumph in the Champions Trophy, they have now secured a place in their fifth final in the last seven 50-over world tournaments, showcasing a blend of tactical brilliance and individual excellence.

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

Virat Kohli, who has long carried an aura of greatness, reinforced his reputation with an assured 84 off 98 deliveries. His innings reflected complete control, seamlessly countering spin, rotating strike efficiently, and displaying his trademark aggression. Despite his recent struggles against spin, Kohli adapted effortlessly, scoring 63 runs from 70 deliveries against spinners, relying more on placement and strike rotation rather than boundary-hitting. His approach ensured that the scoreboard ticked consistently without the accumulation of dot balls.

India Capitalizes on Australia’s Weakened Bowling Attack

Australia entered the match without key pacers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood—an absence that proved costly. The Dubai pitch, offering the best batting conditions of the tournament, saw Steven Smith pack his side with six spin options and opt to bat first, hoping to make run-scoring difficult later in the game. However, whether it was the conditions or Kohli’s brilliance, Australia struggled to restrict India’s chase.

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was indecisive at the toss, openly admitting that losing it worked in his favor. Like Australia, India anticipated significant assistance for spinners, prompting them to field a four-pronged spin attack. The strategy paid off instantly when Varun Chakravarthy, who was not part of India’s original squad, dismissed Travis Head with the first ball he ever bowled to him. At the time, Australia had hit eight boundaries, with Head responsible for seven, making his dismissal a turning point.

Smith Leads Australia’s Middle-Over Charge

Despite early setbacks, Australia maintained a steady scoring rate in the middle overs, amassing 147 runs at 5.06 per over. This phase has troubled teams in the tournament, often seeing them falter against India’s spinners. However, Smith remained composed, consistently finding gaps against Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Chakravarthy. While initially struggling to read Kuldeep’s variations, he adjusted quickly, striking boundaries at crucial moments.

Smith’s resilience forced Rohit to revert to his pacers, and in desperation, a breakthrough emerged.

Shami’s Reverse Swing Turns the Game

Mohammed Shami, known for his ability to exploit reverse swing, delivered a crucial full toss that deceived Smith, who had been stepping out confidently throughout his innings. This rare misjudgment saw his stumps rattled, a mistake uncharacteristic of a batter often compared to the greats.

Just five balls later, Axar Patel capitalized on the opening, sneaking one through Glenn Maxwell’s defences. In a matter of minutes, Australia went from controlling the innings to staring at a possible early collapse. With more than ten overs remaining, their lower order was exposed, drastically shifting momentum in India’s favor.

Carey’s Late Flourish Keeps Australia Competitive

As wickets tumbled, Alex Carey played a vital counterattacking knock, scoring 61 off 57 balls at a strike rate exceeding 100. His precise shot selection and ability to manipulate the field kept Australia afloat. Whether lofting down the ground or employing deft reverse sweeps, Carey repeatedly found ways to pierce gaps, ensuring his team reached a competitive total.

However, with little support from the other end, Australia fell short of the 280-run mark they seemed destined for. India, on the other hand, marched confidently into yet another ICC final, further solidifying their growing reputation as a force to be reckoned with on the global stage.