Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was content with his team's calm approach as they overcame 265 against Australia, booking their spot in their third successive Champions Trophy final.
Star batsman Virat Kohli stole the show once again with a match-winning 84-run innings, interspersed with five boundaries, while KL Rahul's 42 not out and Hardik Pandya's power-packed 28, including three sixes and one four, assisted India in securing a four-wicket semi-final win over England at Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday.
Despite the win looking comfortable on paper, Rohit acknowledged that the match remained tense until the very last ball, especially after Kohli’s dismissal, which momentarily put Australia back in the contest. However, Rahul and Pandya stepped up to steer India home.
"Nothing is clear until the last ball is bowled. At the halfway stage, we thought 265 was a par score, but the character of the pitch never permitted free-flowing stroke play. We kept our cool and calm heads during the pursuit, which was the hallmark of our performance," Rohit told the post-match presentation.
The skipper attributed all credit to the team, praising in particular Kohli's dependability and Pandya's match-winning back-to-back sixes against Adam Zampa at a turning point in the game.
"Full credit to everyone who has helped in constructing this team. Kohli has been doing this for years. We were calm while batting, and those big hits by Hardik at the end were crucial as they were," he further stated.
Talking about the pitch, Rohit said that it played a bit better than the one in their game against New Zealand. He stressed the need for balance in the team, with six bowling options and a strong batting depth.
With this win, India became the first team to qualify for three successive Champions Trophy finals. They now wait for the winner of the second semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand, which will be played in Dubai on March 9.
Looking forward to the final, Rohit was confident about his team's form and did not want to think about the opposition but rather his own team.
"When you get to the final, you want all your players in good nick. Everyone has chipped in at various stages, which gives us tremendous confidence. We're not thinking too much about it—both South Africa and New Zealand are good sides, which is why they're in the semi-finals. It's a high-pressure tournament, so it's nice to take a bit of time off, recharge, and then concentrate on the big game," Rohit said.
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