{"id":896372,"date":"2025-03-05T00:08:27","date_gmt":"2025-03-04T18:38:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/technosports.co.in\/?p=896372"},"modified":"2025-03-05T00:08:31","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T18:38:31","slug":"champions-trophy-2025-kohlis-84-india-to-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/technosports.co.in\/champions-trophy-2025-kohlis-84-india-to-final\/","title":{"rendered":"Champions Trophy 2025: Kohli’s Brilliant 84 Drives India Into The Champions Trophy Final"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dubai is set to host the Champions Trophy<\/a> final, with India securing their spot after outclassing a depleted Australian side in a gripping first semi-final. However, their victory didn\u2019t come without resistance, as Australia had several moments that could have shifted the game in intriguing ways.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Virat Kohli<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Ultimately, India\u2019s skill and experience proved decisive, with a key contribution from the player who best exemplifies those qualities. Virat Kohli, known for his masterful chase management, had already produced a century earlier in the tournament against Pakistan and seemed poised for another. However, an uncharacteristic attempt at a big shot ended his innings at 84. By then, he had surpassed 8000 runs in ODI chases and left India needing just 40 off 44 balls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They required only 33 deliveries to get the job done, as KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya took India to the brink before Pandya fell with just one hit remaining. In a moment reminiscent of India’s chase against Australia in the 2023 Chennai World Cup clash, it was Rahul who finished things off\u2014this time with a towering six over long-on off Glenn Maxwell.<\/p>\n\n\n

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KL Rahul<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Rahul and Hardik combined for five sixes and three fours, yet even their late surge couldn’t push India’s boundary tally (16 fours and seven sixes) beyond Australia’s (20 and eight). Instead, India’s victory was driven by their relentless running and strike rotation\u2014they faced only 124 dot balls compared to Australia’s 153 and ran 158 of their runs between the wickets, significantly more than Australia’s 129.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This wasn’t just a result of Kohli and his teammates\u2014five other Indian batters crossed 25\u2014expertly finding gaps and running hard; it also highlighted the gap in bowling quality, particularly in the spin department. India’s spinners maintained a dot-ball percentage of exactly 50%, while Australia’s managed just over 39%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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