ICC World Cup 2019, road to semi-final: India

Australia’s surprise defeat in the last match of the league phase of the 2019 World Cup allowed India to stay at the top of the points table. India have won seven of their eight completed matches, while a ninth, against New Zealand, were washed out. Their only defeat has come against England.

India will now play fourth-placed New Zealand in the first semi-final, at Old Trafford. Below is a precis of their journey to the semi-final.

Rose Bowl, Southampton, June 5: Beat South Africa by 6 wickets

Jasprit Bumrah took two quick wickets and Yuzvendra Chahal 4/51 after India opted to bowl. Some late-order resistance helped South Africa recover from 89/5, then 158/7, to 227/9. Rohit Sharma (122*) saw through Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris’ initial fire. India won in the 48th over.

The Oval, London, June 9: Beat Australia by 36 runs

Shikhar Dhawan’s 117, backed by Rohit’s 57 and Virat Kohli‘s 82, helped India set up the launching pad. Hardik Pandya and MS Dhoni’s cameos then took India to 352/5. Australia reached 238/3 in the 40th over with Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell at the crease before they lost 3 wickets in 7 balls. They finished on 316 despite Alex Carey’s late counterattack.

Trent Bridge, Nottingham, June 13: No play against New Zealand due to rain

Old Trafford, Manchester, June 16: Beat Pakistan by 89 runs (DLS Method)

KL Rahul (57), promoted to the top in lieu of Dhawan, helped Rohit (140) put on 136 for the opening stand. Kohli contributed with 77 and Pandya had a blast to help India finish on 336/5 despite Mohammad Amir’s outstanding bowling. Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam then added 104 before Pakistan lost 4 for 12 in 19 balls and with that, the match.

Rose Bowl, Southampton, June 22: Beat Afghanistan by 11 runs

The Indian batsmen were tested for the first time in the tournament. The Afghan spinners restricted India to 224/8 despite Kohli’s breezy 63 and Kedar Jadhav’s gritty 52. Afghanistan reached 106/2 in the 29th over when Bumrah took out 2 wickets in 3 balls. Mohammad Nabi took the fight to the last over despite Bumrah’s outstanding death bowling. Then Mohammed Shami, drafted in after Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s injury, took a hat-trick to settle things.

Old Trafford, Manchester, June 27: Beat West Indies by 125 runs

For once Rohit failed, but Kohli (72) stood up before Dhoni (56) and Pandya (46) added 70 in 57 balls. India finished on 268/7 before Shami (4/16) and Bumrah (2/9) shot out West Indies for 143.

Edgbaston, Birmingham, June 30: Lost to England by 31 runs

Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow smashed the Indian wrist-spinners to pulp, adding 160 in 133 balls. The Indians pulled things back somewhat before Ben Stokes took England to 337/7. Rohit (102) and Kohli (66) then added 138, but the chase fizzled out afterwards. The Indians were restricted to singles in the death overs, and lost their first match of the tournament.

Edgbaston, Birmingham, July 2: Beat Bangladesh by 28 runs

India failed to capitalise on the 180-run opening stand between Rahul (77) and Rohit (148). Some excellent bowling from Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman restricted them to 314/9. The Bangladesh batsmen threw away promising starts, with five men reaching 22 but nobody going past 66. India were briefly threatened by the Bangladesh lower order, but Bumrah’s yorkers turned out to be too good.

Headingley, Leeds, July 6: Beat Sri Lanka by 7 wickets

Angelo Mathews’ delightful hundred helped Sri Lanka recover to 264/7 after Bumrah (3/37) had reduced them to 55/4. Rahul (111) and Rohit (103, his third hundred on the trot) then added 189 to settle the matter. It was only the second successful chase in excess of 250 in the World Cup.