IND vs AUS Live Score : In a thrilling encounter at the Champions Trophy 2025, Australia posted a competitive total of 264 runs before being bowled out in 49.3 overs. India, known for their strong batting lineup, now faces a tricky chase on a pitch that has offered assistance to both pacers and spinners. The match, played at a packed stadium in Lahore, has already lived up to its billing as one of the most anticipated clashes of the tournament.
Australia’s Innings: A Mixed Bag
Australia won the toss and elected to bat first, hoping to set a formidable target. However, their innings got off to a rocky start as Indian pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj struck early blows. Bumrah, in particular, was in scintillating form, dismissing opener David Warner for just 12 runs with a sharp inswinger. Siraj complemented him well, removing Travis Head in the next over, leaving Australia reeling at 24/2.
Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne then steadied the ship with a crucial 85-run partnership. Smith, playing with his characteristic elegance, reached his half-century before falling to Ravindra Jadeja’s left-arm spin. Labuschagne, on the other hand, anchored the innings with a gritty 67 off 89 balls, but his dismissal in the 35th over triggered a middle-order collapse.
Glenn Maxwell provided some late fireworks with a quickfire 42 off 28 balls, including three sixes, but the Indian bowlers kept chipping away at the wickets. Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 3/48, while Bumrah and Jadeja claimed two wickets each. Australia’s innings ended at 264, a total that seemed slightly below par but could prove challenging on a slowing pitch.
India’s Chase: A Test of Nerves
Chasing 265 for victory, India’s openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill walked out to a roaring crowd. The duo started cautiously, respecting the early movement generated by Australian pacers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. However, Gill’s stay at the crease was short-lived as he edged a delivery from Starc to the wicketkeeper, departing for 12.
Virat Kohli, coming in at number three, looked in sublime touch from the outset. Alongside Rohit, he built a steady partnership, rotating the strike and punishing the loose deliveries. Rohit, playing his trademark pull shots and drives, brought up his fifty in style, but his innings was cut short by Adam Zampa’s googly, leaving India at 112/2 in the 22nd over.
Suryakumar Yadav, known for his explosive batting, joined Kohli in the middle. The pair added 45 runs before Yadav fell to a brilliant catch by Glenn Maxwell at mid-wicket. With India at 157/3, the match hung in the balance. Kohli, however, continued to anchor the innings, reaching his 50th ODI half-century and keeping India’s hopes alive.
The Turning Point
The game took a dramatic turn in the 35th over when Kohli was dismissed by Cummins for a well-made 68. His departure brought Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant to the crease, and the duo had the task of steering India home. Pandya, with his aggressive intent, smashed a couple of boundaries, but his innings was cut short by a stunning yorker from Starc.
With 50 runs needed off the last 10 overs and five wickets in hand, the match was finely poised. Pant, known for his ability to handle pressure, played a composed innings, while Jadeja provided the necessary support at the other end. However, Zampa struck again, removing Jadeja in the 45th over, leaving India at 230/6.
The Final Over Drama
With 15 runs needed off the final over, Pant and Bumrah were at the crease. Starc, tasked with defending the total, started with a dot ball, increasing the pressure on the Indian batters. Pant, however, kept his cool, hitting a six and a four off the next two deliveries. With 5 runs needed off the last three balls, Pant sealed the victory with a boundary, sending the Indian fans into a frenzy.
