India thrash Bangladesh to close on semi-finals

T20 World Cup, Antigua

India 196-5 (20 overs): Hardik 50* (27); Tanzim 2-32

Bangladesh 146-8 (20 overs): Najmul Shanto 40 (32); Kuldeep 3-19

India won by 50 runs

Scorecard. Tables.

India edged person to nan T20 World Cup semi-finals pinch a connection 50-run triumph complete Bangladesh.

Hardik Pandya's unbeaten half-century helped India station an imposing 196-5 aft being put successful to bat successful Antigua.

Bangladesh's batting struggles continued successful nan pursuit arsenic they stuttered to 146-8 successful a curiously subdued effort, pinch leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav taking 3-19.

Quick bowler Tanzim Hasan's fiery double-wicket complete and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto's 40 were nan Tigers' only genuine performances of intent.

The triumph sees India stay unbeaten successful nan World Cup truthful far, alongside South Africa and Australia.

They are well-placed for a semi-final spot and are gathering momentum arsenic they attack nan knockout stages, pinch this triumph pursuing nan preceding convincing effort against Afghanistan.

Virat Kohli recovered shape aft conscionable 29 runs successful his erstwhile 4 innings successful nan tournament, adding a fluent 37, followed by cameos from Rishabh Pant and Shivam Dube to support nan destructive Hardik.

After a beardown fightback successful nan middle, Bangladesh wilted astatine nan decease pinch 76 runs coming from nan last 5 overs arsenic nan bowlers mislaid each subject successful nan look of India's aggression.

If Australia hit Afghanistan later connected Saturday nighttime (Sunday, 01:30 BST) past they and India will advancement to nan semi-finals from Group One, but a astonishment triumph for Afghanistan would support each 4 sides successful contention.

India's trophy hunt is gathering gait and nan all-round squad effort against Bangladesh will person boosted their hopes further.

Kohli and Rohit provided a quickfire start, Pant maintained nan acceleration and past Dube and Hardik vanished nan occupation pinch a sadistic show to adjacent nan innings.

There were 13 sixes deed successful total, pinch plentifulness of intent shown passim nan innings, pinch Suryakumar Yadav's six nan only batting nonaccomplishment but nan world's champion T20 batter surely has plentifulness of in installments successful nan bank.

With nan ball, they were objective contempt Bangladesh hardly playing a changeable successful anger.

Ravindra Jadeja bowled 3 valuable overs having been scarcely utilized successful nan preceding games, Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah provided their modular unwavering consistency astatine nan apical while it beggars belief that Kuldeep struggles to find a spot successful their accustomed starting XI.

He bowled pinch singular power and utilised his canny variations and Bangladesh's batters had nary answers. Opener Tanzid Hasan and Tawhid Hridoy were lbw for 29 and 4 respectively, earlier Shakib Al Hasan was caught astatine mid-off.

While things are shaping up nicely for Rohit Sharma's men, their tourney is taking nan aforesaid trajectory arsenic nan caller 50-over World Cup wherever they cruised done nan group shape unbeaten only to suffer to Australia successful nan final.

They are yet to really beryllium challenged, pinch a six-run triumph complete Pakistan being their closest brushwood truthful far. But that will travel connected Monday, pinch a mouth-watering trial against Australia which whitethorn not person overmuch base connected nan semi-final outcome, but will supply much-needed title for some heavyweights.