It was a sweet passage for India into the semifinals. Everything was in order. The batsmen revelled, the bowlers struck big to skittle out the opposition. It has been a dream run for India, and the World Cup is now a mere two steps away from the grasp of a team that has looked the most compact of all.
From winning the toss to stifling the Bangladesh chase, India did nothing wrong. The first half was contested furiously and there was a possible chance of Bangladesh gaining the upper hand, but Rohit Sharma’s century and a lively performance by Suresh Raina gave India the power to dictate.
Rohit rose to the challenge when Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli fell early. At 115 for three, he was joined by Raina.
The two reliable R’s of Indian batting stitched together a tremendous match-defining partnership. If Rohit played a highly mature, responsible and measured knock, Raina’s was a performance that eased the pressure on the team. The mantle was then picked up by the bowlers, who were as good as ever. They have been the strength of India’s brilliant showing so far.
