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India held their nerve to reach the Champions Trophy final with a four-wicket victory over Australia in Dubai.<\/b><\/p>\n
Chasing 265, Virat Kohli compiled a typically composed 84 after the loss of captain Rohit Sharma and fellow opener Shubman Gill inside the first eight overs.<\/p>\n
Kohli – the master of such chases – looked to be easing his side to victory, only to slap to Adam Zampa at long-on when 40 runs were needed from 45 balls.<\/p>\n
Australia cannily applied the squeeze but two towering straight sixes from Hardik Pandya in a 24-ball 28 broke the tension.<\/p>\n
The swaggering all-rounder holed out with India six away, which left KL Rahul to win the match with a six of his own with 11 balls to spare against the side who beat them in the 2023 World Cup final.<\/p>\n
India, supported by a loud, partisan crowd, also held firm excellently with the ball to dismiss Australia for 264 in 49.3 overs.<\/p>\n
Australia were well placed at 198-4 in the 38th but fell away when captain Steve Smith, who dug in for 73, and Glenn Maxwell were bowled in the space of six balls.<\/p>\n
India’s win means Sunday’s final will be played in Dubai, rather than Lahore as initially planned because of their decision not to travel to hosts Pakistan.<\/p>\n
They will play New Zealand or South Africa, who contest the second semi-final on Wednesday in Lahore.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n