Rohit Sharma led defending champions India into the semi-finals of the World
Cup with a 109-run victory over Bangladesh at the MCG.
Sharma's imperious 137 provided the backbone of India's innings as they made
302 for six.
With a big total to defend, it was then over to Umesh Yadav, who took four
for 31 to restrict Bangladesh, who were all out for 193.
India made a spirited start with Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan both getting
among the boundaries in the opening overs.
Bangladesh resorted to spin at an early stage but could not stop India's
openers rattling towards 75 for nought before Dhawan fell.
Mushfiqur
Rahim whipped the bails off after Shakib Al Hasan's delivery beat Dhawan
for 30. It was unclear whether the batsman's foot was outside of the crease,
but Bangladesh were proved right as their appeal for a first wicket was
successful.
The second followed in the next over as Virat Kohli went for only three runs
having edged Rubel Hossain to wicketkeeper Mushfiqir.
India realised Bangladesh were right back in contention and rallied to reach
100 with a flick to midwicket from Ajinkya Rahane, and Sharma duly brought up
his workmanlike 50 with a push through long-on off Al Hasan.
Rahane's brief stand ended when Taskin Ahmed removed him for 19 and India
were suddenly looking shaky again on 115 for three.
Good fortune soon sided with India as Suresh Raina managed to improbably
survive a review having been caught plumb lbw by Mashrafe Mortaza. Ball
tracking showed the ball pitching just outside leg to the disbelief of both
sets of players.
Raina took full advantage, smashing a six as India tried to turn up the
heat.
They were briefly halted by a short interruption for rain but were quickly
back into their rhythm - although Sharma had a let off when he was caught at
deep midwicket, only for a questionable no-ball to be called against Rubel for
the ball being above waist-height.
Sharma shrugged that off to bring up his century - off another no ball - but
there was soon joy for Bangladesh as Raina (65) mis-timed a pull-shot off
Mortaza and sent a top-edge high into the sky for Mushfiqur to snare.
Sharma sought to turn the screw but paid for aggression as he was yorked by
Taskin, departing for 137 off 126 balls.
Ravindra Jadeja came in and added quick runs, but captain Mahendra Singh
Dhoni, struggling for rhythm, mis-timed a shot off Taskin to go for six.
India just nosed past 300 to set Bangladesh a target of 303, and they made a
decent start thanks to some rapid scoring from Tamim Iqbal.
But the wheels came off in the space of two balls. First, Tamim edged Yadav
to go for 25 and then, off the next ball, fellow opener Imrul Kayes was run out
in a mix-up with Soumya Sarkar.
That brought the in-form Mahmudullah to the crease, but he could add only 21
before Dhawan, flirting with the rope deep on the boundary, took a catch at the
third attempt.
The Bangladeshi batsmen continued to show a frustrating habit of setting
themselves before getting out, with Sarkar going for 29, victim of a fine catch
by Dhoni off Mohammed Shami, Shakib out for 10 when he sliced Jadeja to
Mohammed Shami at third man, and Mushfiqur done at 27 when he edged a short
ball from Yadav and was caught by Dhoni, leaving Bangladesh on 139 for six.
Nasir Hossain and Sabbir Rahman kept the scoreboard ticking over and steered
Bangladesh to 189 for six, but after Hossain fell victim to Jadeja for 35,
India wrapped things up quickly.
Mortaza made only one before being removed by Sharma, and Yadav then took
the final two wickets in the next over, with Rubel gone for a duck and Rahman
last man out on 30 when Shami held on at the second attempt at long leg.
After a seventh win in a row, Sharma believes India are well on course to
defend their title.
"We just need to do what we've been doing," he said on Sky Sports
World Cup. "We're doing the right things on the field. When batting, we're
creating partnerships and the bowlers are bowling in tandem and taking
wickets."
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