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[Watch] Kohli Hugs Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell To Bid Australia Champions Trophy Farewell

Akshita Patel

Virat Kohli shares heartwarming moment with Aussie cricketers [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/X.com]Virat Kohli shares heartwarming moment with Aussie cricketers [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/X.com]

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Virat Kohli, a star Indian cricketer, bid farewell to Australia as India beat them in the semi-final of the Champions Trophy 2025. He hugged Steve Smith and former IPL teammate Glenn Maxwell before the players left the ground.

India booked their spot in the final of the Champions Trophy 2025 season after beating arch-nemesis Australia in a tightly fought semi-final game. Batting first, the Aussies posted a competitive total of 264 runs on the board, courtesy of Steve Smith and Alex Carery’s half-centuries.

However, for India, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer powered the chase with a 91-run partnership. India chased down the total in 49.3 overs, with KL Rahul hitting the final boundary to knock out Australia.

Virat Kohli shares warm hug with Smith, Maxwell

Meanwhile, after the game, Virat Kohli was jubilant as he celebrated the victory with his teammates. Moreover, before the players left the ground, Kohli shared a warm hug with Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell.

Smith and Kohli share utmost mutual respect for each other whereas Maxwell’s bond with Virat happened much later. 

Though they were initially rivals, Kohli and Maxwell buried hatches when they played together for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL.

Kohli’s hug also meant farewell to Steve Smith who announced his retirement from ODI format a day later. 

For Kohli, his next mission will be to win another ICC trophy for team India. The men in blue will meet the winner of the second semi-final between New Zealand and South Africa in the final scheduled for March 9 in Dubai.

Kohli climbs up in ICC ODI rankings

The latest ICC ODI rankings have brought positive news for Virat Kohli fans as the star batter jumped to the No. 4 spot, thanks to his stellar performances in the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025. 

In 4 games, he amassed 217 runs with a century and a half-century each. On the flip side, Rohit Sharma has suffered a dip in form, slipping two places to No. 5.