Following India’s qualification for the ICC Champions Trophy final after defeating Australia in the semifinals, fans erupted in celebrations, expressing their excitement over the ‘Men in Blue’s’ triumph, Virat Kohli’s match-winning knock, and their hopes for a title win.
Rohit Sharma Makes History
Rohit Sharma set a new record by becoming the first captain in cricket history to reach the finals of all ICC tournaments. India’s emphatic victory over Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final on Tuesday made them the first team to reach the final of the tournament five times—no other team has achieved this more than three times.
Fans React to the Victory
A fan in Dubai, Digvijay, shared his excitement: “I said that beating Australia in semis is much easier than beating them in the finals. One more push. This team has confidence, a winning habit, and a settled combination. We are winning the Champions Trophy after 12 years.”
Another fan, Vansh, stated: “We feel so proud. Earlier, we thought 265 runs on that surface was going to be tricky. But our boys had to win. They would have chased down 300 as well. We have silenced the entire Australia today.”
A passionate supporter with the Indian flag painted on his body and MS Dhoni’s jersey number exclaimed: “We will surely win the trophy, and defeating Australia is a very big thing… We avenged the defeat of 2023. Virat Kohli played very well. He did not score a century, but it was as good as a century. That is why he is called ‘The King.'”
Fans in Ujjain, Patna, and Prayagraj took to the streets to celebrate, bursting firecrackers and chanting slogans such as “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram.”
Match Summary
Australia won the toss and chose to bat first. Despite an early wicket, Travis Head (39 off 33 balls) built a 50-run stand with Steve Smith, who played a crucial knock. Smith’s partnerships with Marnus Labuschagne (29 off 36) and Alex Carey (61 off 57) helped Australia reach a total of 264 before they were bowled out in 49.3 overs.
Mohammed Shami (3/48) led the Indian bowling attack, with Varun Chakravarthy (2/49) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/40) weaving a spin web. Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya also contributed with a wicket each.
During India’s chase, early wickets saw India reduced to 43/2, but a crucial 91-run stand between Virat Kohli (84 off 98) and Shreyas Iyer (45 off 62) revived the innings. Kohli further partnered with Axar Patel (27 off 30) and KL Rahul (42* off 34) to stabilize the chase. Hardik Pandya’s explosive cameo of 28 off 24 balls sealed the victory, with India reaching 267/6 in 48.1 overs.
Nathan Ellis (2/48) and Adam Zampa (2/60) were Australia’s top bowlers.
Looking Ahead
With this historic win, India will now prepare for the grand finale of the ICC Champions Trophy, aiming to lift the coveted trophy for the first time in 12 years. Fans across the country and the globe eagerly await the final showdown, hoping for another moment of glory for Indian cricket.