#CWC15: Rohit Sharma leads India to World Cup semi-finals

Sport360 staff 16:01 19/03/2015
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  • Hats off: Rohit Sharma hit his seventh ODI ton and shared a crucial fourth-wicket partnership of 122 with Suresh Raina.

    Rohit Sharma led defending champions India into the semi-finals of the World Cup with a 109-run victory over Bangladesh at the MCG. 

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    Bangladesh resorted to spin at an early stage of the Indian innings but could not stop their 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. 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. 

    Sharma shrugged off a dropped-catch from Bangladesh to bring up his century 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 then Tamim edged Yadav to go for 25 and off the next ball fellow opener Imrul Kayes was run out in a mix-up with Soumya Sarkar.

    Mahmudullah came to the crease could add only 21 before Dhawan took a catch at the third attempt. A few cheap middle-order wickets later 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.

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