WATCH: Virat Kohli's unbridled joy after India's win in Champions Trophy semifinal

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Mar 5, 2025, 07:34 IST

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Virat Kohli's 84 runs played a crucial role in India's semifinal victory against Australia in the Champions Trophy. Despite falling short of his century, Kohli's partnerships with Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, and KL Rahul led India to chase down the target. Hardik Pandya's late sixes ensured India avoided a nervous finish.

WATCH: Virat Kohli's unbridled joy after India's win in Champions Trophy semifinal

Photo: Video grab

Virat Kohli looked on course for another match-winning century in the Champions Trophy semifinal against Australia on Tuesday but fell 16 runs short of the landmark. But his 84 runs inflicted enough damage to ensure that the batting legend could celebrate a special win with his teammates under the Dubai sky.
India chased down Australia's 264 with 1.5 overs to spare, with Kohli finding support from Shreyas Iyer to lift India out from a slightly concerned 43 for 2 with a 91-run partnership.
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Kohli then added 44 runs with Axar Patel (27) and 47 runs with KL Rahul (42 not out) to take India closer to win, before he fell to leg-spinner Adam Zampa while attempting an early finish.
Hardik Pandya's (28) three sixes then ensured that the match didn't go into the final over, and Rahul completed the win off the first ball of the penultimate over with a six.
It followed heartwarming scenes, featuring Kohli in almost every shot as he carried a big smile while hugging his teammates.
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The chasemaster was also captured by the cameras looking towards his wife, Anushka, in the stands and punching the air in unbridled joy.
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India now wait to know their opponent in the final, which will be decided between South Africa and New Zealand who will fight it out in the second semifinal to be played on Wednesday at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

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TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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