Rohit Sharma stroked an authoritative century and Umesh Yadav claimed four wickets to help defending champion India advance to the World Cup semifinals with a 109-run win over Bangladesh on Thursday.
Rohit, aided by a contentious decision that gave him a second life, scored 137 off just 126 balls — his first World Cup hundred — with 14 boundaries and three sixes, sharing a 122-run fourth-wicket partnership with Suresh Raina (65) to help India reach 302-6 after some tight Bangladesh bowling contained much of the innings.
While Bangladesh rarely appeared likely to win in reply, it produced a determined innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in its first World Cup quarterfinal.
Tamim Iqbal timed four boundaries in a run-a-ball 25 before being caught behind off Yadav (4/31). Fellow opener Imran Kayes was run out off the next ball for 5 and Bangladesh didn’t recover momentum.
During the Indian innings, Rohit was caught in the deep when he was on 90 but was allowed to keep batting when the umpires ruled that Rubel Hossain's delivery was above waist-height and therefore a no-ball, although television replays suggested it was a fair delivery.
Rohit had initially been forced to abandon his normal cavalier approach as his team mates struggled to score quickly on a windy afternoon at the Melbourne Cricket Ground but exploded later in the innings.
After scoring his second century at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here on Thursday, Rohit said he wanted to make this innings count at the grand stage.
“It is the World Cup quarter-final, so I wanted to make it count. I am glad we eventually posted a good total and now it is important to come back and defend,” Rohit said at the mid-innings break.
Guided by Rohit’s 137, the defending champions put up a challenging total of 302/6 against Bangladesh in the World Cup quarter-final. No team has ever chased down a target of 300 or more at the historic venue, which will also host the final.
The Mumbaikar was slow to start with but gathered momentum in the middle as he kept clobbering the bowlers all around the park to smash 14 boundaries and three huge sixes in his 126-ball innings.
“It was important for me stay at the crease, especially knowing we lost a few wickets in the middle. We knew it would be slow and low, so I wanted to take my time. I knew if I could stay till the 35th over I could make it count,” he said, after scoring his seventh One-Day International (ODI) ton.
The 27-year-old added that it became easier batting on the strip after the short rain delay in the 39th over.
“After the rain, the ball came on nicely. It was important to hold your shape and then play your shots,” he said.
Only two other non-Australian batsmen have scored two centuries at the MCG — David Gower and Viv Richards.
While Suresh Raina (65) was the only other batsman to make a significant contribution at a rapid strike-rate, Rohit batted for 47 overs to make 137 off 126 balls, highlighted by 14 boundaries and three sixes.
For a man who scored a world record 264 last year, it was almost sluggish going by his normal standards but no less crucial in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the World Cup.
Of the three matches already played at the sprawling MCG during this tournament, the team batting first has scored over 300 runs and won each time and Bangladesh now face a formidable challenge to break that sequence.
The MCG can be an intimidating bear-pit of a stadium and India opted to bat first in front of their fanatical supporters, and got off to a flying start, racing past 50 inside the first 10 overs.
Bangladesh, appearing in their first World Cup quarterfinal, managed to put the brakes on India's scoring after the fielding restrictions were lifted and they brought on their spinners.
From the end of the 10th over till the start of the 35th over, India added just 104 runs for the loss of three wickets.
Shikhar Dhawan was the first Indian batsman to go, stumped for 30, and he was quickly followed by Virat Kohli, who was caught behind for three after a reckless slash at a wide delivery.
When Ajinkya Rahane departed for 19 in the 28th over, the world champions were suddenly looking under pressure and Bangladesh the team with all the momentum.
But cricket is a game where things can turn on the smallest of margins and India got two big breaks that proved decisive.
Raina survived a confident appeal for lbw when he was on 10 then Rohit got a massive let-off 10 runs short of his century when he holed out at mid-wicket.
The pair put on 122 for the fourth wicket as Bangladesh began to lose their way in the field.
Raina threw his wicket away in the 44th over when he skied a catch behind then Rohit joined him after he was bowled by Taskin Ahmed but their efforts left India in a strong position to join South Africa as the second team in the semifinals.
Scoreboard
Bangladesh innings (target: 303 runs from 50 overs)
Tamim Iqbal c Dhoni b Yadav 25; Imrul Kayes run out (Jadeja/Yadav) 5; Soumya Sarkar c Dhoni b Mohammed Shami 29; Mahmudullah c Dhawan b Mohammed Shami 21; Shakib Al Hasan c Mohammed Shami b Jadeja 10; Mushfiqur Rahim c Dhoni b Yadav 27; Sabbir Rahman c Mohammed Shami b Yadav 30; Nasir Hossain c Ashwin b Jadeja 35; Mashrafe Mortaza c Dhoni b Mohit Sharma 1; Rubel Hossain c Ashwin b Yadav 0; Taskin Ahmed not out 0
Extras: (b 1, lb 1, w 8) 10
Total (all out; 45 overs) 193 (4.28 runs per over)
Fall of wickets: 1—33, 2—33, 3—73, 4—90, 5—104, 6—139, 7—189, 8—192, 9—193, 10—193
India Bowling: Umesh Yadav 9—1—31—4, Mohammed Shami 8—1—37—2, Mohit Sharma 7—0—36—1, Ravichandran Ashwin 10—1—30—0, Suresh Raina 3—1—15—0 , Ravindra Jadeja 8—0—42—2.
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India innings: Rohit Sharma b Taskin 137; Shikhar Dhawan st Mushfiqur b Shakib 30; Virat Kohli c Mushfiqur b Rubel 3; Ajinkya Rahane c Shakib b Taskin 19; Suresh Raina c Mushfiqur b Mortaza 65; Mahendra Singh Dhoni c Nasir Hossain b Taskin 6; Ravindra Jadeja not out 23; Ravichandran Ashwin not out 3. Extras: (B—4, LB—7, W—3, NB—2) 16
Total: (for 6 wickets in 50 overs) 302
Fall of wickets: 1—75, 2—79, 3—115, 4—237, 5—273, 6—296.
Bangladesh Bowling: Mortaza 10—0—69—1, Taskin Ahmed 10—0—69—3, Nasir Hossain 9—0—35 —0, Mahmudullah 1—0—4—0, Rubel Hossain 10—0—56—1, Shakib Al Hasan 10—0—58—1.
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