Virat Kohli’s knock of 84 led India to a four-wicket victory over Australia in the first ICC Men’s Champions Trophy semi-final after Mohammed Shami had earlier picked up three for 48 to help restrict the world champions to 264 all out.
Captain Steve Smith hit 73 for Australia with Alex Carey adding 61, but with wickets falling at regular intervals, Shami, alongside Varun Chakravarthy (two for 49) and Ravindra Jadeja (two for 40), made sure their opponents never got away from them.
Lower-order hitting from Hardik Pandya (28 from 24 balls) tipped the balance in India’s favour during the chase with the 2002 and 2013 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy winners looking to become the first nation to win the competition three times.
The first Australian wicket fell at the end of the third over as Cooper Connolly feathered Shami through to wicket keeper KL Rahul for a nine-ball duck, given out on review.
Travis Head, given a life on nought by Shami with his first legal delivery, attempted to counter the Indian bowlers’ tight start, hitting both Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav for six, before holing out to Shubman Gill at long-off for 39 off Chakravarthy.
Smith and Marnus Labuschagne put on 56 for the third wicket as they took Australia onto 110 before Labuschagne was trapped LBW by Jadeja for 29.
Smith, who was dropped by Shami on 36, went past 50 in the 26th over but lost partner Josh Inglis seven balls later to Jadeja when the Australian wicketkeeper found Kohli at short cover for 11.
Shami ended Smith’s stay at the crease in bizarre fashion, bowling the Australian skipper with a full toss for 73 for his second wicket, to leave the opposition 198 for five inside 37 overs.
In between the wickets of Glenn Maxwell – bowled by Axar Patel for seven – and Ben Dwarshuis – caught at deep midwicket by Shreyas Iyer off Varun for 19 – Alex Carey reached his half century off 48 balls.
Carey’s stint at the crease was ended on 61 after a brilliant direct hit by Iyer with Australia eventually bowled out for 264 following Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa being dismissed late on.
India’s chase began in earnest, reaching 30 without loss inside five overs until Gill inside-edged Dwarshuis back onto his stumps for eight.
Smith’s decision to bring on Connolly paid off instantly as the opener struck Rohit Sharma in front for 28 having previously been given lives by Connolly himself and Labuschagne in the field.
Kohli powerfully pulled Zampa to the fence to reach a 53-ball fifty at the end of the 25th over as part of a stabilising 91-run stand with Iyer, before the latter was bowled by Zampa for 45 in the 27th.
Maxwell, who dropped Kohli on 51 at short cover, struck the Indian number three on his pad during the 32nd over with the score 160 for three, but the faintest of edges denied Australia a fourth wicket.
Ellis clattered Axar’s off stump while on 27 with 87 runs still required for victory.
The next five overs were then milked for 22 runs by Kohli and Rahul to take India to 200 for four with 10 overs to go.
Kohli top scored for the Group A winners with 84, but after putting Zampa into the stands two balls into the 43rd over, the leg spinner duly removed him when he was caught by Dwarshuis at long on with 41 runs still needed.
That left Pandya to join Rahul and the pair put on a crucial 34-run stand before Pandya was caught for 28 having hit three sixes.
Rahul finished the game off with a six off Maxwell as India won by four wickets with 11 balls to spare.
Scores in brief
ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, semi-final 1 India vs Australia, Dubai
India 267/6 in 48.1 overs (Virat Kohli 84, KL Rahul 42*; Nathan Ellis two for 49) def.
Australia 264 all out in 49.3 overs (Steve Smith 73, Alex Carey 61; Mohammed Shami three for 48)
Result: India win by four wickets.
Bambi Benz
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