Champions Trophy: Pakistan loses hosting rights for final as India defeat Australia in semi-final

India has qualified for the final of the Champions Trophy 2025 after defeating Australia by four wickets in the first semi-final of the tournament. 

Australian skipper Steven Smith won the toss and decided to bat first, becoming the top scorer with a steady 73 (96), anchoring the innings, while Alex Carey played an aggressive knock of 61 (57). Travis Head provided a quick start with 39 (33), but wickets kept falling at regular intervals. Marnus Labuschagne contributed 29 (36), and Josh Inglis added 11 (12). Glenn Maxwell played a brief cameo of 7 (5), while Ben Dwarshuis, 19 (29), Adam Zampa, 7 (12), and Nathan Ellis, 10 (7), chipped in with small contributions down the order. Tanveer Sangha remained unbeaten on 1 (1).

Australia scored 264 runs in 49.3 overs, losing all wickets.

For India, Mohammed Shami was the standout bowler, picking up three wickets. Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja took two wickets each, while Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya took one wicket each.

India successfully chased down the target of 265, scoring 267/6 in 48.1 overs at a run rate of 5.54. 

Virat Kohli was the star of the chase, anchoring the innings with a brilliant 84 (98), ensuring India stayed on course. Shreyas Iyer provided crucial support with 45 (62), while captain Rohit Sharma contributed 28 (29) at the top. Shubman Gill managed 8 (11) before falling early, and Axar Patel added a valuable 27 (30) in the middle order.

KL Rahul played a composed yet aggressive knock of 42* (34), guiding India home, while Hardik Pandya’s quickfire 28 (24) helped accelerate the chase. Ravindra Jadeja remained unbeaten on 2 (1) as India sealed the win with 11 balls to spare.

For Australia, Ben Dwarshuis and Nathan Ellis took two wickets each, while Cooper Connolly and Adam Zampa picked up one wicket apiece. 

The second semi-final of the Champions Trophy will be played between New Zealand and South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium on March 5.

The winning team will compete against India in Dubai on March 9.