India vs Bangladesh Champions Trophy semifinal 2017
How easy was that? A target of 265 could have been tricky had India
lost a few early wickets but Bangladesh somehow didn't look like taking
any. This would have to rank as one of Rohit's most stylish knocks -
effortless and chanceless. Virat Kohli was unstoppable too and the
Bangladesh players lost the game fairly early because they looked flat
on the field. Their slide began when Kedar Jadhav claimed the wickets of
Mushfiqur and Tamim. It sucked the momentum out of their innings and in
the end they were, well, 80-90 short?
We've had two one-sided
semifinals. How will the final turn out? India will meet Pakistan for
the final and the league match between them was anything but
competitive. Pakistan have improved since that game so if their bowlers
can repeat that sort of performance in the semis, things will get
interesting. This will be India's 4th final and Pakistan's first in the
Champions Trophy. Join us again on Sunday. Goodbye.
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Updates
Virat Kohli: "We
didn't expect to win by nine wickets. Says a lot about the quality of
our batsmen. Jadhav is not a surprise package. He's a smart guy, he
knows where to pitch the ball. Today was an opportunity for me to play
the way I want. Rohit was outstanding. We might be tested in the final.
It's not a worry if the middle order has not had much opportunities to
bat. It's a worry if the middle order is batting too much."
Mashrafe: "When
Kedar took the two set batsmen out it was a huge setback for us.
Hopefully next Champions Tropjhy we will be even stronger. Skill wise we
are fine but mentally we need to be a bit stronger. Otherwise, spot
on."
Rohit Sharma is the Man of the Match: "It's
special since my hundred has come in a winning cause. I missed out the
last few games so I was determined to score a hundred this time. As soon
as Virat walked in you felt like he was batting overnight. This was
such a good wicket to bat on. You had to make a mistake to get out."
40.1 overs - India 265/1. Target 265
No
Kohli can't get a century but he's anything but disappointed here. A
four driven through the covers seals the win, he punches the air and
India have decimated Bangladesh by 9 wickets to set up their date with
Pakistan on Sunday for the final at The Oval.
Can Kohli somehow get a century?
39 overs - India 256/1. Target 265
Dropped
short and Kohli pulls Sabbir ro deep midwicket. A single to long-off
brings up 8000 ODI runs for Kohli! The fastest to get there. Sorry
Sachin
38 overs - India 249/1. Target 265
Shakib
drifts on the pads and Kohli nudges it down to fine leg. Then Rohit
scoops one over extra cover. India making this look ridiculously easy
37 overs - India 239/1. Target 265
Short
and wide and slashed over gully and down to third man. Four easy runs
for Kohli. Taskin then bowls the short one to Rohit and he pulls to deep
square leg to bring up the 150 stand.
Virat Kohli is ten away from 8000 ODI runs.
35 overs - India 224/1. Target 265
The
field is up so all you need to do is find the gap and the ball does the
rest. That's how easy batting has been today. Rohit gently pushes
Taskin wide of mid-off and the fielder didn't feel the need to dive
34 overs - India 218/1. Target 265
Even
Bangladesh want to get this over with quickly. Kohli drives Shakib to
wide long-off, the fielder chases, doesn't put in a dive and the ball
rolls over the ropes
33 overs - India 212/1. Target 265
Rohit
gets to his century with a boundary but his heart would have been in
his mouth as he hooked it towards fine leg. The fielder was running to
his right and the ball just about beat his dive and landed on the rope.
Rohit's 11th hundred and perhaps his most attractive one. Sublime and
(almost) chanceless
31 overs - India 198/1. Target 265
This
Bangladesh attack is as flat and deflated as England's yesterday.
Mahmudullah comes on and he starts off with a half tracker that's bashed
by Virat bisecting two fielders at deep square leg. Then the bowler
tries the fuller length but he gives width and the ball rockets to
sweeper cover
30 overs - India 188/1. Target 265
Fifty
for Kohli and he gets there with a swat in front of square on the on
side, beating the midwicket fielder. He didn't even make that shot look
all that aggressive - relied on timing and placement
28 overs - India 177/1.
Target
265Nothing going Bangladesh's way. A top edge by Rohit lands safely at
extra cover, Shakib gave that some air; then Kohli gets a thick outside
edge looking to dab it to third man but Mishfiqur failed to get his
hands behind that
27 overs - India 173/1. Target 265
Mossadek
and Taskin bowling in tandem. Mossadek tosses one up and Kohli drives
with ease to sweeper cover. 6 bowlers have been used.
23 overs - India 156/1. Target 265
At
this rate we'll all be home quickly. Three more boundaries off the over
from Rubel. Kohli sends the first to sweeper cover; Rohit effortlessly
cuts the second to backward point; the third is also helped on its way
square on the off side
22 overs - India 140/1. Target 265
Not
a good day for the Fizz. Pitched up on the pads and Virat easily works
it wide of midwicket, half volley outside off and a text book cover
drive by Kohli costs another boundary. Looking at the way the Indian
batsmen have progressed, you wonder if Bangladesh are 70 short.
