Kohli’s composed knock of 84 runs off 98 balls helped India chase down a target of 265, securing their place in the final of the eight-team tournament
Virat Kohli (Pic: AFP)
Virat Kohli on Tuesday produced yet another record-breaking performance in the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final against Australia, propelling India to a thrilling four-wicket victory.
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Kohli’s composed knock of 84 runs off 98 balls helped India chase down a target of 265, securing their place in the final of the eight-team tournament. India will now face either New Zealand or South Africa in the summit clash, set to take place at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
He came. He won hearts. He left ❤️🫡 #Kohli #IndvsAus pic.twitter.com/L8NLDWtLEo
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Throughout the chase, Kohli set a perfect tempo, anchoring the innings with unwavering focus. Though he looked set for a bigger score, Kohli's quest for a big shot saw him lose his wicket to Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa. However, he received crucial support from Shreyas Iyer (45) and KL Rahul (42 unbeaten), as India completed the chase with 11 balls to spare.
The 36-year-old became the second batter in ODI history to surpass 8,000 runs while chasing, having taken just 159 innings to reach the milestone. This achievement places him behind only Sachin Tendulkar, who leads the charts with 8,720 runs in 232 innings. Kohli’s 8000-run feat came significantly faster than Tendulkar’s, solidifying his status as the sport's premier 'chase master'.
In addition to this remarkable achievement, Kohli surpassed several other milestones during the semi-final against Australia. He overtook Shikhar Dhawan to become India's all-time leading run-scorer in the Champions Trophy. Chris Gayle holds the record for the most runs in Champions Trophy history with 791 runs. Kohli also surpassed Tendulkar for the most half-centuries in ICC ODI events, having now scored 24 fifty-plus scores in such tournaments.
As the holder of the most centuries in successful ODI chases (51), Kohli further cemented his legacy in the format. Sachin Tendulkar follows in second with 17 centuries, while India captain Rohit Sharma stands third with 16. Kohli's remarkable record also highlights that over 70 percent of his runs in run chases have come in victories, the highest such percentage among all batters in ODI history.
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