Former India skipper Virat Kohli scored his 48th ODI century, 103 not out off 97 balls (6x4s, 4x6s), to help India beat Bangladesh by seven wickets in their fourth league game of the ICC World Cup at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Thursday.
The win helped India keep their unbeaten record in the tournament intact although they remain on second position, behind New Zealand who have a slightly superior net run rate.
Kohli hit a six to take himself to century – he is now one short of Sachin Tendulkar’s 49 tons — and India to the 257-run target. The home team lost just three wickets in the chase and had 8.3 overs to spare.
Earlier, Bangladesh had won the toss and elected to bat.
After a 93-run opening stand by openers Tanzid Hasan (51 off 43 balls; 5x4s, 3x6s) and Litton Das (66 off 82 balls; 7x4s), Bangladesh batsmen lost track once India spinners came into play.
From 93 without loss in the 15th over, Bangladesh were reduced to 137/4 in 27.4 overs against tight bowling from Kuldeep Yadav (1/47) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/38). Mohammad Siraj also chipped in with a wicket during that phase.
Bangladesh were without their regular captain and one of the world’s best all-rounders, Shakib al Hasan.
A bit of rearguard action from the experienced duo Mushfiqur Rahim (38 off 46 balls) and Mohammad Mahmudullah (46 off 36 deliveries) helped the Bangladeshis go past 250 and score 256/8 in the allotted 50 overs.
Pace bowlers Jasprit Bumrah (2/41) and Siraj (2/60) were among multiple wickets in a line-up that lost Hardik Pandya due to injury just after the right-armer had bowled three deliveries.
Both the India openers, Rohit Sharma (48) and Shubman Gill (53) laid the foundation with an 88-run stand before the India skipper fell in the 13th over.
Kohli then scripted a 44-run partnership for the second wicket with Gill, followed by a 46-run stand with Shreyas Iyer (19) for the third wicket and an unbeaten 83-run stand with KL Rahul (34 not out) for the fourth wicket.
India now head to Dharamsala to play New Zealand in their fifth game on Sunday.
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