India defeated Australia by 6 wickets in the Cricket World Cup semifinal at Lords on September 1, advancing to the final where they will face England on September 7. Virat Kohli scored 134 runs off 127 balls, his sixth World Cup century, while Jasprit Bumrah took 4 wickets for 32 runs. India chased down Australias total of 287 runs in 47.3 overs, with Rohit Sharma contributing 78 runs before being dismissed. "This is what we play for," Kohli said during the post-match presentation. "The crowd at Lords was incredible. The energy carried us through the difficult moments in the chase." ## Match Summary Australia won the toss and elected to bat first, posting 287 runs in 50 overs. Steve Smith top-scored with 96 runs, while Travis Head added 64. Bumrah struck twice in the powerplay, removing David Warner and Mitchell Marsh cheaply. India began the chase cautiously, losing Sharma in the 18th over with the score at 98. Kohli then anchored the innings with a masterful knock, hitting 14 fours and 3 sixes. He reached his century off 112 balls and accelerated in the final overs. "The way Kohli paced the innings was extraordinary," said former India captain Sourav Ganguly. "He absorbed the pressure early and then exploded when the field spread." ## Tournament Performance The victory extends Indias unbeaten run in the tournament to 8 matches. The team topped Group A with 14 points, winning all seven group stage fixtures. India has scored over 300 runs in five of its eight matches. Bumrah has taken 18 wickets in the tournament at an average of 19.4, making him the leading wicket-taker. His economy rate of 4.2 runs per over has been the lowest among fast bowlers in the competition. "Bumrah is bowling at a level I have not seen from any fast bowler in World Cup history," said Australian coach Andrew McDonald. "His ability to bowl yorkers at will in the death overs is unmatched by anyone." ## Key Statistics Kohli average in World Cup knockout matches now stands at 68.7, the highest among active players with at least 10 innings. His strike rate of 105.5 in the semifinal exceeded his tournament average of 98.2. Rohit Sharma partnership with Kohli of 142 runs for the second wicket was the highest for India in a World Cup semifinal since Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly put on 163 against Pakistan in 2003. India bowling unit conceded just 4.8 runs per over in the final 10 overs, restricting Australia to 58 runs after they were 229 for 4 at the 40-over mark. Kuldeep Yadav took 2 wickets for 45 runs in his 10 overs. ## Road to the Final England defeated South Africa by 3 runs in the other semifinal at Old Trafford. Jos Buttler scored 112 runs, while Jofra Archer took 3 wickets for 45 runs. The final at Lords will mark the first World Cup final between India and England since 1983. India will be seeking its third World Cup title, having won in 1983 and 2011. England is defending champion, having won the 2019 tournament on home soil. Tickets for the final sold out within 45 minutes of going on sale.