India advanced to the semifinals of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup with an easy 109-run win over Bangladesh at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday, thanks to Rohit Sharma's splendid ton and Umesh Yadav's destructive spell with the ball.
Sharma guided India to a dominant 302-run total in their allotted 50 overs with his blistering 137-run knock that left the Bangladeshi bowlers struggling. Yadav then contributed to the win with his four wicket haul and a maiden over in the nine overs he bowled.
Opting to bat first, India got off to a steady start with opener Sharma partnering with Shikhar Dhawan for a 75-run first wicket partnership before the latter departed back to the stands on his individual 30 runs, falling prey to Bangladesh's star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan's delivery.
Dhawan's departure saw a small struggle zone for India, as Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane departed for their small individual scores of three and 19 respectively. India were left struggling at 115-3 in the 27th over with their dismissal.
However, Suresh Raina's arrival put the team back in the driver's seat as he partnered with Sharma for a 122-run fourth-wicket stand to take India to 237-4 in the 43rd over before he was sent back to the stands on his individual 65 by Mashrafe Mortaza.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni scored just six runs before he too lost his wicket, and it was left to Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin to guide India to the daunting total and they obliged with the former remaining unbeaten on 23 runs that came off just 10 balls and the latter remaining unbeaten on his individual three.
Taskin Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh as he scalped three wickets with his menacing pace, which included the crucial scalp of Sharma.
Bangladesh got off to a slow start as they began their chase off India's 302-run target at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where no one has ever chased down a total above 300 runs.
Bangladesh were struggling at 73-3 in the 16th over having lost their openers Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes on their paltry individual totals of 25 and five respectively, while top-order batsman Soumya Sarkar was sent back to the pavilion on his individual 29 runs.
None of the Bangladeshi batsmen could put up a steady partnership, with their highest partnership proved to be off just 50 runs for the seventh wicket between Nasir Hossain and Sabbir Rahman, who individually scored 30 and 35 runs respectively.
Yadav was the pick of the bowlers for India as he scalped four wickets, conceding just 31 runs in the nine overs he bowled, while Mohammad Shami and Jadeja grabbed two wickets each and Mohit Sharma took one.
Bangladesh were bowled out for just 193 runs in 45 overs as India won the match by 109 runs with 30 balls to spare.
Sharma was named the Man of the Match for his 137-run knock that came off 126 deliveries and included 14 fours and three sixes.
The match also saw India's unbeaten run in this World Cup extend to seven games, as they had earlier completed on the top of Pool B without losing a game in the group stages.
