Kohli Masterclass Propels India to Thrilling 4-Wicket Victory Over Australia in 1st Semi-Final of ICC Champions Trophy 2025

India's bowling attack set the tone for their victory, restricting Australia to a par-score of 264 after being asked to bowl. The Indian team went in with an unchanged team, featuring four frontline spinners in the attack. Varun Chakravarthy struck with his first ball, dismissing Travis Head, while Mohammed Shami's round-the-wicket line posed problems for the Australian openers. Steven Smith, the Australian captain, looked assured, but India managed to keep the innings boundary-free for 50 balls, with the Smith-Labuschagne pair in the middle.

The run-chase was guided largely by Virat Kohli, who anchored the innings through some challenging periods. He was supported by Shreyas Iyer, with the duo putting on a 91-run stand to get the chase back on track. Kohli's entry to the chase was early, but he played a typical innings, milking Australia's spinners and cutting off risk-taking. He found another able partner in Axar Patel, and their 44-run association pushed India closer to the target.

As India headed into the last ten overs, they needed 65 runs with six wickets in hand. KL Rahul lofted a couple of boundaries to keep reversing the pressure, but Kohli's uncharacteristic attempt to loft Adam Zampa resulted in his dismissal. However, Hardik Pandya's 24-ball 28, featuring three sixes against the legspinners, tilted the game decisively in India's favor, as they finished the chase with 11 balls to spare. The victory marked India's third successive appearance in the ICC Champions Trophy final, with Kohli's masterclass being the difference-maker in the 1st Semi-Final against Australia.