Virat Kohli would have loved to be out in the middle to score the winning runs in the Champions Trophy semifinal against Australia in Dubai on Tuesday. However, the ‘Man of the Match’ did his job earlier to ensure that he celebrated the win in the dressing room.
Besides being slightly shaky at 43 for 2 while chasing Australia’s 264, India never looked troubled — thanks to Kohli’s masterly knock of 84 off 98 balls that thwarted the Aussie challenge and helped his team win by four wickets to enter the final.
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Watching the climax from a distance, Kohli looked jovial in the dressing room, while captain Rohit Sharma settled nervously in his chair — as a video shared by the BCCI showed.
India were just a hit away from victory at the fall of Hardik Pandya’s (28) wicket, while KL Rahul stood firm in the middle.
As Ravindra Jadeja walked down the stairs to enter the field and join Rahul in the middle, Kohli looked towards Rohit and said: “Maarne to chhakka hi ja raha hai woh” (he is going in with an intention to hit a six).”
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While Kohli’s prediction of a sixer as the winning shot came true, the hit came off Rahul’s (42 not out) bat instead of Jadeja’s (2 not out).
Earlier, closer to India winning the match, Kohli perished in an attempt to finish the game early when leg-spinner Adam Zampa had him caught at long-on by Ben Dwarshuis.
Shreyas Iyer’s 45 was the other important contribution in India’s four-wicket win.
Before that, India’s bowling was once again spearheaded by Mohammed Shami, who took 3 for 48, while spinner Varun Chakravarthy (2 for 49) and Ravindra Jadeja (2 for 40) claimed two wickets each.
India will meet either South Africa or New Zealand in the final on March 9.