India held their nerve to reach the Champions Trophy final with a four-wicket victory over Australia in Dubai.
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.
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.
Australia cannily applied the squeeze but two towering straight sixes from Hardik Pandya in a 24-ball 28 broke the tension.
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.
India, supported by a loud, partisan crowd, also held firm excellently with the ball to dismiss Australia for 264 in 49.3 overs.
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.
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.
They will play New Zealand or South Africa, who contest the second semi-final on Wednesday in Lahore.
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