India’s emphatic win over Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final has sparked celebrations across the nation and beyond, as fans hailed the ‘Men in Blue’ for their thrilling performance and Virat Kohli’s match-winning knock. The victory also marked a historic achievement for captain Rohit Sharma, who became the first skipper in cricket history to lead his team to the finals of all ICC tournaments.
With this win, India became the first team to reach the Champions Trophy final five times — a feat unmatched by any other side, with no team making it to more than three finals.
Fans worldwide expressed their excitement and confidence in India’s chances of winning the title. Digvijay, a fan from Dubai, said, “Beating Australia in the semis is much easier than beating them in the finals. One more push and we will lift the trophy. This team has confidence, a winning habit, and a settled combination. We are winning the Champions Trophy after 12 years.”
Vansh, another fan, shared his pride and admiration for the team’s performance. “We thought 265 runs on that surface would be tricky, but our boys had to win. They would have chased down 300 as well. We have silenced Australia today.”
One passionate supporter, with the Indian flag painted on his body and MS Dhoni’s jersey number displayed, declared, “We will surely win the trophy, and defeating Australia is a huge achievement. We avenged the defeat of 2023. Virat Kohli played so well — it wasn’t a century, but it felt like one. That’s why he’s called ‘The King.’”
The excitement spilled onto the streets in Ujjain, Patna, and Prayagraj, where fans celebrated with firecrackers and chants of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram.”
As for the match itself, Australia won the toss and chose to bat first. Despite an early loss of Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (39 off 33 balls) and Steve Smith formed a crucial partnership. Smith continued with solid contributions from Marnus Labuschagne (29) and Alex Carey (61). A brilliant direct hit from Shreyas Iyer ended Carey’s innings in the 48th over, and Australia was bowled out for 264 in 49.3 overs.
India’s bowlers shined, with Mohammed Shami (3/48) leading the attack, supported by Varun Chakravarthy (2/49) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/40). Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya chipped in with a wicket each.
India’s chase started shakily, losing Rohit Sharma (28) and Shubman Gill (8) early. But a 91-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer (45) steadied the innings. Kohli then partnered with Axar Patel (27) and KL Rahul (42*) to keep the momentum going. A fiery cameo from Hardik Pandya (28 off 24 balls) sealed India’s victory, with the team reaching 267/6 in 48.1 overs.
Australia’s bowlers Nathan Ellis (2/48) and Adam Zampa (2/60) tried their best, but India’s determined batting lineup proved too strong.
With this resounding win, India stands just one step away from claiming the Champions Trophy — a title they last won 12 years ago. As the nation awaits the final, the belief and excitement among fans continue to soar.
