Virat Kohli produced a trademark innings with a polished 84 as India pulled off a tense chase to beat Australia by four wickets in the first semi-final of the Champions Trophy on Tuesday.
Set 265 for victory, India lost the 36-year-old Kohli in the closing overs but KL Rahul's unbeaten 42 steered the team home with 11 balls to spare at the Dubai International Stadium.
They will face South Africa or New Zealand in the final on Sunday in Dubai, with India playing all their matches at the venue after they refused to tour hosts Pakistan for the eight-nation event.
Lahore was the alternative venue for the final had India missed out.
"This game is all about pressure, especially in big games like semis and finals," said player of the match Kohli.
"If you go deep into the innings and have wickets in hand, the opposition usually gives in and the game becomes easier. It is very important to control your impulses while the game is going on."
Australia elected to bat and posted 264 all out after strong knocks from captain Steve Smith, who made 73, and Alex Carey, who hit 61.
In reply India lost two early wickets before Kohli and Shreyas Iyer, who made 45, put the chase back on track in their partnership of 91.
"I take pride in doing what my team wants," added the 36-year-old Kohli. "Those things (individual records) don't matter anymore for me. It's just about stepping out and hopefully doing the job for the team."
Smith said of Kohli: "He's arguably the best chaser the game has seen. He's done it numerous times against us.
"He controls the tempo of the game really well, plays to his strengths and takes the game deep."
Cooper Connolly, in the team in place of the injured Matthew Short who was forced out of the tournament on Monday, trapped skipper Rohit Sharma lbw on 28 for his first ODI wicket.
Kohli and Iyer then took stock against an inexperienced Australian attack missing fast bowlers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood to injuries and Mitchell Starc for personal reasons.
But leg-spinner Adam Zampa bowled Iyer before Nathan Ellis rattled the stumps of Axar Patel for 27.
- Maxwell drops Kohli -
Kohli, who hit an unbeaten 100 in India's group-stage win over arch-rivals Pakistan, stood firm in another stand with Rahul.
Kohli was dropped by Glenn Maxwell off Connolly on 51 but Zampa denied him another ton when he clubbed a googly to Ben Dwarshuis at long-on to leave India at 225-5 and give Australia a glimmer of hope.
But Rahul kept calm and with Hardik Pandya, who hit three sixes in his 28, put on 34 off 31 balls to ease the pressure.
Ellis removed Pandya, via another catch at long-on, but Rahul hit the winning six as a largely Indian crowd roared in delight.
"I thought the bowlers did a really good job," said Smith. "They worked hard throughout, the spinners squeezed and enabled us take the game a bit deeper than potentially could have done."
Earlier, Australia lost regular wickets but kept fighting back with 50-plus stands between Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, who made 29, and then the captain and Carey.
India's pace spearhead Mohammed Shami stood out with figures of 3-48 as Australia's innings lasted 49.3 overs.
Spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja took two wickets each.
Opener Travis Head gave the team a quick start with his 39 after losing his partner Connolly for a nine-ball duck.
India calmly knocked off the runs though, gaining a measure of revenge against Australia for their 2023 World Cup final defeat in Ahmedabad.
The second semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand is on Wednesday in Lahore.
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