Australia captain Steve Smith rued missed opportunities after his team fell short in their ICC Champions Trophy semifinal against India in Dubai. Despite strong contributions from Smith (73) and Alex Carey (61), Australia failed to post a competitive total, eventually losing by four wickets.
Steve Smith admitted that the lack of substantial partnerships and key dismissals at critical moments cost Australia the chance to set a more challenging target. “We had opportunities to get past 300, but losing wickets at crucial stages hurt us. If we had extended one of those partnerships, we could have put more pressure on India,” he said.
Australia’s innings saw promising starts, but no batter could convert it into a big score. Smith’s dismissal to a Mohammed Shami full toss and Carey’s run out after a well-made 61 were pivotal moments. “Missing that full toss was disappointing. If I had batted deeper, we could have pushed closer to 300,” Smith added.
Fielding lapses also proved costly, with Glenn Maxwell dropping Virat Kohli on 51. Kohli capitalized on the reprieve, scoring a match-defining 84. Late contributions from KL Rahul (42*) and Hardik Pandya (28*) ensured India chased down the target with 11 balls to spare.
Despite the loss, Smith praised his inexperienced bowling attack for their efforts throughout the tournament. “Our bowlers showed great intent and performed well. Playing in high-pressure games like this will only help them grow,” he said.
Smith remains optimistic about Australia’s future in ICC tournaments, emphasizing the team’s potential to learn and improve from this experience.
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