Kohli leads as India beat Australia to reach Champions Trophy final
Steven Smith sees an inside edge off the pads roll onto the stumps without moving the bails
Virat Kohli once again led the way in a crucial run chase for India with a responsible knock of 84 off 98 balls while Shreyas Iyer (45 off 62), KL Rahul (42 not out off 34) and Hardik Pandya (28 off 24) chipped in with crucial contributions as India reached 267-6 in 48.1 overs.
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Leg-spinner Adam Zampa looked the most threatening of the Aussie bowlers, finishing with 2-60, and Nathan Ellis (2-49) bowled some tight overs in the final phase but it was not enough to ensure victory for the Aussies.
Batting first, skipper Steve Smith made 73 off 96 deliveries and Alex Carey hit a 57-ball 61 as Australia made 264 all out in 49.3 overs.
India pace spearhead Mohammed Shami stood out with figures of 3-48 while spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja took two wickets each.
India will now face the winner of the tomorrow's second semifinal between South Africa and New Zealand in Sunday's final in a bid to become the first team to win the tournament three times.
The outcome also means that the final of the tournament will be played in Dubai, not Lahore.
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The last ODI between the two sides was the final of the 2023 World Cup, which ended in a heartbreaking loss for India in front of a home crowd.
But this time, after not allowing Australia to post an imposing target on the board, India pulled off a comfortable chase where they looked mostly in command with a few minor bumps along the way.
After India lost Shubman Gill (eight off 11) and skipper Rohit Sharma (28 off 29) in the Powerplay, Kohli took control of the chase, forming a 91-run partnership with Iyer for the third wicket, followed by a 44-run stand with Axar Patel (27 off 30) and a 47-run partnership with Rahul.
However, Australia was also guilty of reprieving Kohli when he was on 51, with Glenn Maxwell diving to his right but failing to hold onto a catch at short mid off of the bowling off Zampa.
Kohli made Australia pay for that dropped chance and although he could not finish the chase, getting caught off Zampa at long on in the 43rd over, Rahul and Pandya ensured India went over the line.
Earlier, Australia lost opener Cooper Connolly for a nine-ball duck off Shami before Travis Head hit back with a flurry of fours and two sixes to raise memories of his onslaught against India in the 2023 World Cup final won by Australia.
But wrist spinner Chakravarthy struck on his second ball to get Head caught out at long-off for 39 off 33 balls.
Smith and Marnus Labuschagne chipped away against the spinners in the middle phase and Carey played his shots in the final overs, but India kept picking wickets in regular intervals and eventually bundled them out for a gettable total.
