The Men in Blue onto the field once more in an ICC elimination encounter against Australia, but this time it was not the typical sea of blue that is seen wherever India plays.

Prior to the match, the rivalry between the two countries was the focus of most of the excitement, following India’s humiliating home loss to Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup. With a five-wicket victory at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, March 4, India secured a spot in the current Champions Trophy grand finals, so even if it wasn’t the same platform, the stakes were high.

In Dubai, on a sluggish and challenging track, the Australians chose to bat first after winning the toss. But Rohit Sharma’s team got off to a great start thanks to an early blow from Cooper Connolly and a headache from Travis Head within the first powerplay. Nevertheless, Steven Smith’s strong performance demonstrated that the Australian captain wasn’t willing to give up on a big stage.

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Mohammed Shami’s low full-toss ultimately ended Smith’s tenure at the crease, despite Smith’s crucial 73 off 96 balls. Six-time World Cup winners Alex Carey, a stumper-batter, continued to build momentum even after his captain was dismissed, thus it did not hinder them. In 49.3 overs, India bundled the unit for 264, shifting the burden on the hitters, bringing an end to a start-stop innings.

Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma left the crease disappointed, thus India didn’t get off to the best start. The veteran cricketer Virat Kohli entered the game and, with Shreyas Iyer, formed the most crucial partnership, scoring 91 runs for the third wicket. Due to Adam Zampa bowling him out for 45, Iyer was unable to reach his fifty. However, Kohli was aware that, as he has done on numerous occasions when wearing the blue shirt, he needs to anchor the chase regardless of the partner.

Axar Patel and KL Rahul then made a few cameo appearances with the chase master. Kohli was on track to score another brilliant century at his kingly best, but Zampa dashed hopes once more and caught him in the act. The 36-year-old left for 84 off 98 balls, which was excellent considering the team’s current circumstances. His knock had just five boundaries.

Rahul and Hardik Pandya broke the myth of conditions by unleashing their raging blades, bringing India one step closer to the goal and securing a place in the final on Sunday, March 9. Smith & Co. were eliminated from the tournament after Rahul’s massive maximum on the first ball of the 49th over was the final nail in the coffin. On Wednesday in Lahore, the Men in Blue will now take on the victor of the second semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand.

The keyboard cricket players, however, were jubilant about India’s stunning victory in Dubai, which also served as the final venue, thanks to their impressive Twitter game.

Here’s how Twitter (now X) reacted to India vs Australia, Semi-Final 1 of Champions Trophy 2025