T20 World Cup: India Thrash Zimbabwe To Top Group 2, Face England In Semis

Melbourne: Team India topped Group 2 in style, thrashing Zimbabwe by 71 runs in their final Super 12 match at MCG here on Sunday.

Rohit Sharma’s men will face England on Thursday at Adelaide Oval, a day after Pakistan take on New Zealand at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Having already qualified for the last four thanks to the Netherlands’ huge upset win over favourites South Africa earlier in the day, India posted 186/5 after opting to bat first.

Skipper Rohit Sharma (15) missed out on a big score once again and Virat Kohli managed a run-a-ball 26, before KL Rahul scored his second straight half-century.

But it was the 360-degree man Suryakumar Yadav who lit up MCG — packed with 82,000 people — with a scintillating 61* off 25 balls, studded with 6 fours and 4 stunning sixes. It was Surya’s pyrotechnics which helped India plunder 98 runs in the last 8 overs.

Indian bowlers then lorded over Zimbabwe and skittled them out for 115.

All six bowlers used by Rohit were among wickets, with Ravichandran Ashwin bagging 3, Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya 2 each.

BRIEF SCORES

India 186/5 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 61*m KL Rahul 51; Sean Williams 2/9). Zimbabwe 115 all out in 17.2 overs (Ryan Burl 35, Sikandar Raza 34; R Ashwin 3/22, M Shami 2/14, Hardik Pandya 2/16).

Result: India won by 71 runs.

SEMIFINAL LINEUP

Nov 9 – New Zealand vs Pakistan (Sydney, 1.30 pm)

Nov 10 – India vs England (Adelaide, 1.30 pm).