India Reach Champions Trophy Final After Chasing Down Challenging Total
Mumbai, Mar 4: Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul put on a late show to take India through to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final in a tense run-chase against Australia.
The pair formed a sixth-wicket partnership while the result was still in the balance, with India on 225/5 and still requiring 40 more runs from the remaining 44 balls for victory.
And their big hitting saw their side home to 267/6, with Pandya eventually dismissed in the 49th over for 28 off 24 balls, and Rahul seeing things home with a superb six, finishing with 42 from 34 balls – alongside a cameo from Ravindra Jadeja, scoring two from the single delivery he faced.
Earlier, India had bowled Australia out for a total of 264 – the highest total scored by any team in Dubai during the tournament at that point.
In their response, Shubman Gill was the first to fall, bowled by Ben Dwarhuis, then Rohit Sharma, lbw bowled by Cooper Connolly, leaving India on 43/2 after eight overs.
And their big hitting saw their side home to a total of 267/6, with Pandya eventually dismissed in the 49th over for 28 off 24 balls, and Rahul seeing things home with a superb six, finishing with 42 from 34 balls – alongside a cameo from Ravindra Jadeja, scoring two from the single delivery he faced.
A good partnership was broken by Adam Zampa, crashing through the stumps of Shreyas Iyer (45), leaving Virat Kohli at the crease with Axar Patel.
When Axar was bowled by Nathan Ellis, he was replaced by KL Rahul, who took to his task of holding down one end.
India had seized the match momentum towards the end of the Australia innings. After removing captain Steve Smith for 73, bowled by Mohammed Shami, the dangerous Glenn Maxwell went soon after for just seven, bowled by Axar.
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