India, March 4 -- It's been a while since India outwitted Australia in the knockout stages of a 50-over ICC tournament. One has to go all the way back to 2011, and the quarterfinal of the World Cup in Ahmedabad, to zero in on that eventuality. Either side of that, especially in World Cups, it's been Australia all the way - the 2003 final in Johannesburg. The 2015 semifinal in Sydney. And, most heartbreakingly, the 2023 title clash in Ahmedabad.

In the Champions Trophy, India have a better knockout record against their bugbears - a perfect two and nought, though those two victories came in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively of the 1998 and 2000 editions of the ICC KnockOut Trophy, the original avatar of this tournament. As the ...