Pune, Oct 20: In an impressive performance at the Men’s World Cup, India secured their fourth consecutive win, defeating Bangladesh by seven wickets at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium. Virat Kohli’s unbeaten century played a pivotal role in the victory.
Kohli’s spectacular innings of 103 not out from 97 balls included a remarkable moment when he reached his century with a six, sealing the match. The former captain’s contribution, coupled with the efforts of Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, ensured a comfortable chase.
Rohit Sharma showcased his prowess, scoring 37 from 33 balls before being dismissed just short of a half-century. Shubman Gill added a valuable 53, contributing to the positive run rate. The arrival of Kohli further accelerated India’s progress, with the team reaching 161/2 in 25 overs.
Although Gill and Shreyas Iyer departed, Kohli and KL Rahul’s partnership guided India to victory with 51 balls to spare. Rahul remained unbeaten with a contribution of 34 runs.
Earlier, India’s bowlers staged a comeback to restrict Bangladesh to 256/8 after openers Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das had stitched a solid 93-run partnership. Ravindra Jadeja and other spinners played a crucial role in breaking partnerships and controlling the run flow.
Despite an injury scare for bowler Mohammed Siraj and a late surge by Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah, India’s seamers, including Jasprit Bumrah and Shardul Thakur, limited the late onslaught. Jadeja finished with figures of 2/38.
With this win, India joins New Zealand at the top of the table, both teams having won all four of their games in the tournament.
