India on course for potential T20 World Cup final vs Pakistan

India brush apart Zimbabwe to seal semi-final date in opposition to England.

India's Suryakumar Yadav has been one of many standout gamers of the match up to now [Martin KEEP / AFP]

Suryakumar Yadav hit a blazing unbeaten 61 as India arrange a Twenty20 World Cup semi-final in opposition to England and a possible ultimate in opposition to Pakistan by crushing Zimbabwe by 71 runs at a packed Melbourne Cricket Floor.

India have been flying at 87-1, chasing 187, however the lack of three fast wickets slowed them down earlier than Yadav set the proceedings alight, smashing six sixes in his 25-ball blitz to steer them previous Zimbabwe’s whole, with 79 coming off the final 5 overs.

India, ranked the highest T20 facet on this planet and winners of the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, have been by means of to the semi-finals earlier than the primary ball was bowled after the Netherlands upset South Africa earlier within the day.

Victory over Zimbabwe confirmed their place on the prime of Group 2 to tee up a last-four conflict with Jos Buttler’s England, who completed second in Group 1. The 2 sides face off on the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.

Group 1 winners New Zealand will play Group 2 runners-up Pakistan on the Sydney Cricket Floor on Wednesday.

At this level, I am salivating on the prospect of an India-Pakistan ultimate

— pradip (@sahaprd) November 6, 2022

India received the toss and batted within the ultimate group recreation of the Tremendous 12 stage, with a disciplined Zimbabwe – whose semi-final hopes have been already over – opening with 9 dot balls.

However the runs began flowing, with Rohit Sharma slapping a boundary off Tendai Chatara after which KL Rahul lashing an enormous six from Richard Ngarava.

Sharma was simply getting within the groove when he misjudged a pull shot going for the ropes once more and was out for 15, caught within the deep by Wellington Masakadza.

That introduced Virat Kohli to the crease and he and Rahul reached 79-1 after 10 overs.

Kohli turned the very best run-scorer in T20 World Cup historical past final week and hit three half-centuries in the course of the match.

However there could be no explosive fourth, with the grasp batsman holing out on 26 to Ryan Burl, undone by the spin of Sean Williams.

KL Rahul has discovered kind at simply the best time for India, scoring his second successive fifty within the match. [WILLIAM WEST / AFP]

Zimbabwe’s chase obtained off to a horror begin with Wesley Madhevere out first ball, flashing Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the covers, the place Kohli held on.

It went from dangerous to worse when Regis Chakabva additionally fell with out scoring, bowled by Arshdeep Singh to depart them on 2-2.

Williams and skipper Craig Ervine placed on 26 for the third wicket earlier than each departed within the house of six balls – Williams caught off Mohammed Shami for 11 and Ervine caught and bowled by Hardik Pandya for 13.

Sikander Raza and Ryan Burl got here to the rescue, with spinner Axar Patel coming in for specific punishment.

They placed on 60 runs earlier than Burl was bowled by Ashwin for a 22-ball 35. The wickets saved tumbling with Raza the penultimate batsman, out for 34.