India skipper Virat Kohli has praised star all-rounder Hardik Pandya after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-beat-sri-lanka-by-seven-wickets-in-cricket-world-cup-233658">India's seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka</a> in their last league stage match of Cricket World Cup 2019.&nbsp;

During the post-match presentation, Virat said, "He (Hardik Pandya) has been outstanding especially after being under the pump in the first 3-4 games, but he has come back beautifully, so he's really motivated and is thinking like a batsman."

"He has a gut feel as to what the batter might do, so he's trying different things. Even when he goes out to bat you can see that intent, he's just switched on from ball one."

"It is amazing to have a cricketer like that who can bring in so much to the table. Hopefully two more performances from him and till now it has been wonderful to see his performances and passion for the team," Kohli added.&nbsp;

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Brilliant performance by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> as they beat Sri Lanka by 7 wickets!! Semi-finals next 😎😎👏👏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SLvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SLvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/WO6SRC33EI">pic.twitter.com/WO6SRC33EI</a>
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India had already qualified for the last four and will finish top of the standings if Australia lose to South Africa in their last group match.

India skipper Virat Kohli has praised star all-rounder Hardik Pandya after India's seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in their last league stage match of Cricket World Cup 2019.

India skipper Virat Kohli has praised star all-rounder Hardik Pandya after India's seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in their last league stage match of Cricket World Cup 2019. During the post-match presentation, Virat said, "He (Hardik Pandya) has been outstanding especially after being under the pump in the first 3-4 games, but he has come back beautifully, so he's really motivated and is thinking like a batsman." "He has a gut feel as to what the batter might do, so he's trying different things. Even when he goes out to bat you can see that intent, he's just switched on from ball one." "It is amazing to have a cricketer like that who can bring in so much to the table. Hopefully two more performances from him and till now it has been wonderful to see his performances and passion for the team," Kohli added. Brilliant performance by #TeamIndia as they beat Sri Lanka by 7 wickets!! Semi-finals next 😎😎👏👏 #CWC19 #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/WO6SRC33EI — BCCI (@BCCI) July 6, 2019 × India had already qualified for the last four and will finish top of the standings if Australia lose to South Africa in their last group match.

It's 'amazing' to have a cricketer like Hardik Pandya, says Virat Kohli

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-rohit-sharma-hits-record-fifth-century-at-a-single-world-cup-233640">Rohit Sharma became the first player </a>to make five centuries in a single World Cup match and his opening partner KL Rahul also struck a fluent century as India crushed Sri Lanka by seven wickets in their final group match at Headingley on Saturday.

India had already qualified for the last four and will finish top of the standings if Australia lose to South Africa in their last group match.

Sri Lanka, who failed to reach the semi-finals, slumped to 55-4 in the 12th over before Angelo Mathews smashed his first century in nearly two years to help them to a respectable 264-7.

Rohit and Rahul made a mincemeat of the Sri Lankan attack to add 189 runs, the highest opening stand at this World Cup, which effectively settled the match.

Captain Virat Kohli made 34 not out as India romped home with 39 balls to spare for their seventh win in nine matches.

"We wanted to play good cricket but we didn't expect this kind of scoreline heading into the semis," Kohli said, referring to India's 7-1 win-loss record in the group stage.

If India top the standings they will play New Zealand in the semi-finals and if they finish second they will face hosts England.

"For us the opposition never matters...if we don't play well anyone can beat us," Kohli said. "If we play well we can beat anyone. The focus has to be within."

Sri Lanka pace spearhead Lasith Malinga completed figures of 1-82 in his final World Cup match.

Earlier, Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and unsurprisingly elected to bat in a rematch of the 2011 final between the neighbours.

Jasprit Bumrah rocked the islanders early with a two-wicket burst and Mahendra Singh Dhoni was busy behind the stumps as Sri Lanka lost their top four batsmen soon after crossing the 50-mark.

Both Karunaratne and Kusal Perera fell caught behind off Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja did not have to wait for success in his first match at this year's World Cup.

The left-arm spinner lured Kusal Mendis out of the crease for Dhoni, who was involved in each of the first four dismissals, to effect a simple stumping.

Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne (53) refused to throw in the towel, though, their defiant 124-run stand raising Sri Lankan hopes.

Dropped on 61 by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mathews went on to complete his third one-day century, including two sixes and 10 fours, before Bumrah dismissed him for 113 in the penultimate over.

Sri Lanka toiled for 30 overs without success as Rohit and Rahul flayed their attack all round the ground.

Rohit smacked Dhananjaya de Silva for two sixes, the first one bringing up his 50, and reached his third successive hundred with a boundary off Kasun Rajitha.

The disdain they had for the Sri Lanka attack was best illustrated in the ramp shot Rahul played, bending back and lowering himself before guiding the ball over the wicketkeeper's head to the boundary.

Rohit's onslaught ended on 103 when he drove Rajitha to mid-off and Rahul's 111 included 11 fours and a six.

"We ended up with close to 280 which was a good score," Karunaratne said.

"We kept losing wickets, and didn't capitalise on a good start...But Rohit and Rahul batted really well."

Rohit Sharma became the first player to make five centuries in a single World Cup match and his opening partner KL Rahul also struck a fluent century as India crushed Sri Lanka by seven wickets in their final group match at Headingley on Saturday.

Rohit Sharma became the first player to make five centuries in a single World Cup match and his opening partner KL Rahul also struck a fluent century as India crushed Sri Lanka by seven wickets in their final group match at Headingley on Saturday. India had already qualified for the last four and will finish top of the standings if Australia lose to South Africa in their last group match. Sri Lanka, who failed to reach the semi-finals, slumped to 55-4 in the 12th over before Angelo Mathews smashed his first century in nearly two years to help them to a respectable 264-7. Rohit and Rahul made a mincemeat of the Sri Lankan attack to add 189 runs, the highest opening stand at this World Cup, which effectively settled the match. Captain Virat Kohli made 34 not out as India romped home with 39 balls to spare for their seventh win in nine matches. "We wanted to play good cricket but we didn't expect this kind of scoreline heading into the semis," Kohli said, referring to India's 7-1 win-loss record in the group stage. If India top the standings they will play New Zealand in the semi-finals and if they finish second they will face hosts England. "For us the opposition never matters...if we don't play well anyone can beat us," Kohli said. "If we play well we can beat anyone. The focus has to be within." Sri Lanka pace spearhead Lasith Malinga completed figures of 1-82 in his final World Cup match. Earlier, Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and unsurprisingly elected to bat in a rematch of the 2011 final between the neighbours. Jasprit Bumrah rocked the islanders early with a two-wicket burst and Mahendra Singh Dhoni was busy behind the stumps as Sri Lanka lost their top four batsmen soon after crossing the 50-mark. Both Karunaratne and Kusal Perera fell caught behind off Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja did not have to wait for success in his first match at this year's World Cup. The left-arm spinner lured Kusal Mendis out of the crease for Dhoni, who was involved in each of the first four dismissals, to effect a simple stumping. Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne (53) refused to throw in the towel, though, their defiant 124-run stand raising Sri Lankan hopes. Dropped on 61 by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mathews went on to complete his third one-day century, including two sixes and 10 fours, before Bumrah dismissed him for 113 in the penultimate over. Sri Lanka toiled for 30 overs without success as Rohit and Rahul flayed their attack all round the ground. Rohit smacked Dhananjaya de Silva for two sixes, the first one bringing up his 50, and reached his third successive hundred with a boundary off Kasun Rajitha. The disdain they had for the Sri Lanka attack was best illustrated in the ramp shot Rahul played, bending back and lowering himself before guiding the ball over the wicketkeeper's head to the boundary. Rohit's onslaught ended on 103 when he drove Rajitha to mid-off and Rahul's 111 included 11 fours and a six. "We ended up with close to 280 which was a good score," Karunaratne said. "We kept losing wickets, and didn't capitalise on a good start...But Rohit and Rahul batted really well."

India beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in Cricket World Cup

After <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-beat-sri-lanka-by-seven-wickets-in-cricket-world-cup-233658">India's seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka</a> in their last league stage match, Indian skipper Virat Kohli and opener Rohit Sharma said that the team is ready to face any opposition in semi-finals.&nbsp;

Rohit and Kl Rahul scored centuries to guide India towards a comfortable win over the Dimuth Karunaratne-led Sri Lanka team&nbsp;in their final Cricket World Cup group match at Headingley on Saturday.&nbsp;

With the win, India are now atop of points table and as per the current scenario they will face fourth-placed New Zealand in semis.

While the result of Australia vs South Africa clash,&nbsp;which is underway (when the story was filed),&nbsp;might change it as if Australia manage&nbsp;to win the game they will go on the top and will square-off against the Kiwis in semis and second-placed India will lock horns with England.&nbsp;

On being asked about the scenario, Kohli said, "We are happy with where we are placed. It is just about turning up on the semifinal day and putting up a performance,"

"The opposition has never mattered. We don't focus on what the opposition brings to the table. If we don't play well anyone can beat us and if we play well we can beat anyone," he said.&nbsp;

"The focus has to be within and we are confident of our skill sets. We just want to go out there in the semifinal and express our skills and strengths as a team. So regardless of who we will play, we want to play good cricket and get the result our way," he further added.&nbsp;

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Over to you Australia... 👀<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SLvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SLvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/RSi5QgUHEI">pic.twitter.com/RSi5QgUHEI</a>
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Rohit also said, "As a team we are not thinking about that (Aus-SA game). We have had a great victory today and we want to celebrate that rather than thinking about what is going on there,"

"Whatever opposition comes our way we will put up a show," Rohit added.&nbsp;

After India's seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in their last league stage match, Indian skipper Virat Kohli and opener Rohit Sharma said that the team is ready to face any opposition in semi-finals.

After India's seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in their last league stage match, Indian skipper Virat Kohli and opener Rohit Sharma said that the team is ready to face any opposition in semi-finals. Rohit and Kl Rahul scored centuries to guide India towards a comfortable win over the Dimuth Karunaratne-led Sri Lanka team in their final Cricket World Cup group match at Headingley on Saturday. With the win, India are now atop of points table and as per the current scenario they will face fourth-placed New Zealand in semis. While the result of Australia vs South Africa clash, which is underway (when the story was filed), might change it as if Australia manage to win the game they will go on the top and will square-off against the Kiwis in semis and second-placed India will lock horns with England. On being asked about the scenario, Kohli said, "We are happy with where we are placed. It is just about turning up on the semifinal day and putting up a performance," "The opposition has never mattered. We don't focus on what the opposition brings to the table. If we don't play well anyone can beat us and if we play well we can beat anyone," he said. "The focus has to be within and we are confident of our skill sets. We just want to go out there in the semifinal and express our skills and strengths as a team. So regardless of who we will play, we want to play good cricket and get the result our way," he further added. Over to you Australia... 👀#CWC19 | #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/RSi5QgUHEI — Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) July 6, 2019 × Rohit also said, "As a team we are not thinking about that (Aus-SA game). We have had a great victory today and we want to celebrate that rather than thinking about what is going on there," "Whatever opposition comes our way we will put up a show," Rohit added.

'Opposition has never mattered,' says Indian skipper Virat Kohli ahead of semis

Indian wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni will celebrate his 38th birthday on July 7.

The apex cricketing body, International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday eulogised the player, calling him a person who changed the face of Indian cricket.

Dhoni has won all major cricketing accolades that one can achieve during their playing stint.

He is the only international captain to have won ICC 50-over World Cup, T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy. He even led India to the number one ranking in both Test and ODI formats.

He walked away with the Indian Premier League (IPL) title thrice with Chennai.

"A name that changed the face of Indian cricket, A name inspiring millions across the globe, A name with an undeniable legacy, MS Dhoni - not just a name! #CWC19 | #TeamIndia," ICC tweeted with a video.

In the clip, Indian skipper Virat Kohli and bowler Jasprit Bumrah are seen recalling how <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/photos/journey-from-ms-dhoni-to-captain-cool-161&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjkvrmqi6DjAhUE63MBHWoIBewQFjACegQIEBAB&amp;usg=AOvVaw2SLlqaxgX--J40CzAww2s3">Dhoni </a>has influenced their cricketing skills.

"What you see from the outside is very different from how things happen within a person. He's always calm and composed, there's so much to learn from him. He was my captain and he will always be my captain. Our understanding has always been brilliant. I am always up for listening to his advice," Kohli said.

"When I came to the team in 2016, he was the captain. He's a calming influence on the team and he's always there to help," Bumrah said.

As the video begins, England wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler calls <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/even-ms-dhoni-makes-mistakes-kuldeep-yadav-teases-msd-for-his-rare-errors-218685&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjkvrmqi6DjAhUE63MBHWoIBewQFjABegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3Ts7_-YMyLQJAKHNw6CP0V">Dhoni </a>Mr Cool and says the cricketer has been his idol.

"Obviously a fellow wicket-keeper, he has been my idol growing up. Mr Cool, I love his persona on the field, he has got lightning-fast hands behind the stumps, he looks very calm when he bats. He is a huge ambassador for the game and I am a huge MS Dhoni fan, Jos Buttler says in the video.

England`s all-rounder Ben Stokes heaped praise on Dhoni and said no one will ever be as good as him. Stokes had played alongside Dhoni for the Indian Premier League franchise Pune.

"One of the greats of the game, phenomenal wicket-keeper. I don't think anyone will be as good as him," Ben Stokes said.

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🔹 A name that changed the face of Indian cricket 
🔹 A name inspiring millions across the globe 
🔹 A name with an undeniable legacy 
 
MS Dhoni – not just a name! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/cDbBk5ZHkN">pic.twitter.com/cDbBk5ZHkN</a>
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Considered as India's best finisher, Dhoni has been facing severe criticism for his baffling batting approach against England in the World Cup match on June 30.

The player was not able to strike big blows in the match against Bangladesh as well.

So far, Dhoni has 223 runs in the tournament and is hoped to spring a good performance with the bat <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-cricket-world-cup-2019-match-44-sri-lanka-vs-india-233528">against Sri Lanka</a>.

Indian wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni will celebrate his 38th birthday on July 7. The apex cricketing body, International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday eulogised the player, calling him a person who changed the face of Indian cricket.

Indian wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni will celebrate his 38th birthday on July 7. The apex cricketing body, International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday eulogised the player, calling him a person who changed the face of Indian cricket. Dhoni has won all major cricketing accolades that one can achieve during their playing stint. He is the only international captain to have won ICC 50-over World Cup, T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy. He even led India to the number one ranking in both Test and ODI formats. He walked away with the Indian Premier League (IPL) title thrice with Chennai. "A name that changed the face of Indian cricket, A name inspiring millions across the globe, A name with an undeniable legacy, MS Dhoni - not just a name! #CWC19 | #TeamIndia," ICC tweeted with a video. In the clip, Indian skipper Virat Kohli and bowler Jasprit Bumrah are seen recalling how Dhoni has influenced their cricketing skills. "What you see from the outside is very different from how things happen within a person. He's always calm and composed, there's so much to learn from him. He was my captain and he will always be my captain. Our understanding has always been brilliant. I am always up for listening to his advice," Kohli said. "When I came to the team in 2016, he was the captain. He's a calming influence on the team and he's always there to help," Bumrah said. As the video begins, England wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler calls Dhoni Mr Cool and says the cricketer has been his idol. "Obviously a fellow wicket-keeper, he has been my idol growing up. Mr Cool, I love his persona on the field, he has got lightning-fast hands behind the stumps, he looks very calm when he bats. He is a huge ambassador for the game and I am a huge MS Dhoni fan, Jos Buttler says in the video. England`s all-rounder Ben Stokes heaped praise on Dhoni and said no one will ever be as good as him. Stokes had played alongside Dhoni for the Indian Premier League franchise Pune. "One of the greats of the game, phenomenal wicket-keeper. I don't think anyone will be as good as him," Ben Stokes said. 🔹 A name that changed the face of Indian cricket 🔹 A name inspiring millions across the globe 🔹 A name with an undeniable legacy MS Dhoni – not just a name! #CWC19 | #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/cDbBk5ZHkN — ICC (@ICC) July 6, 2019 × Considered as India's best finisher, Dhoni has been facing severe criticism for his baffling batting approach against England in the World Cup match on June 30. The player was not able to strike big blows in the match against Bangladesh as well. So far, Dhoni has 223 runs in the tournament and is hoped to spring a good performance with the bat against Sri Lanka.

ICC tweets on MS Dhoni, calls him 'name that changed face of Indian cricket'

Dinesh Karthik insists India won't take it easy in their last World Cup group match against Sri Lanka on Saturday because the title contenders want to go into the semi-finals on a high.

Virat Kohli's side have won six of their eight group games after beating Bangladesh in their previous outing to seal a semi-final berth.

Rather than rest on their laurels, India batsman Karthik, who made his World Cup debut against Bangladesh, is adamant the team plan to fine-tune their game at Headingley this weekend.

"For all the four teams that qualify, it's going to be a massive game (the semi-finals). So that's in the back of the mind," Karthik told reporters on Friday.

"But having said that, I think we're professional enough to go out there against Sri Lanka and play a very clinical game.

"There is scope for improvement in all aspects of our game. We've been playing a good tournament until now, but I'm sure personally each player would have some box to tick."

Defending champions Australia, two-time winners India and England and New Zealand have booked their semi-final places ahead of Saturday's last group games.

India, who are second in a table currently topped by Australia, need to beat Sri Lanka to leapfrog Aaron Finch's side.

They also need help from eliminated South Africa, who would have to beat Australia later on Saturday at Old Trafford for India to end in top spot.

Karthik insisted India, who will take on either New Zealand at Old Trafford on Tuesday or England two days later, have no preference for their semi-final opponent.

'Any team can stand up'

"It's hard for me to say, obviously, which team will be a threat. But on any given day any team can stand up. And that's the beauty of a tournament like a World Cup," Karthik said.

"We're really looking forward to it as a team. At the same time, I think we have a game to play in Leeds. We'll do the best we can tomorrow."

India's middle order has faced flak for going slow in the final half of the innings in recent matches, with Karthik included in the line-up in place of underfire Kedar Jadhav for the Bangladesh game.

Karthik, a wicketkeeper-batsman who bats at number seven, said adapting to conditions is key on English wickets.

"Obviously, it depends first thing on the conditions. And also it depends a little bit on how many batsmen you have behind you," he said.

"When I go in at No. 7, I need to judge this -- assess the situation of the game and then play accordingly."

Teams have rarely been able to chase down scores of over 250 in this World Cup, but Karthik insists India are equipped to handle any possibility that comes their way.

"I think we as a team believe that we're good chasers, because that's what we do day in, day out," he said.

"And we're a team that actually has the ability to handle pressure very well. We'd back ourselves to chase and get the totals that we believe we can achieve."

Dinesh Karthik insists India won't take it easy in their last World Cup group match against Sri Lanka on Saturday because the title contenders want to go into the semi-finals on a high.

Dinesh Karthik insists India won't take it easy in their last World Cup group match against Sri Lanka on Saturday because the title contenders want to go into the semi-finals on a high. Virat Kohli's side have won six of their eight group games after beating Bangladesh in their previous outing to seal a semi-final berth. Rather than rest on their laurels, India batsman Karthik, who made his World Cup debut against Bangladesh, is adamant the team plan to fine-tune their game at Headingley this weekend. "For all the four teams that qualify, it's going to be a massive game (the semi-finals). So that's in the back of the mind," Karthik told reporters on Friday. "But having said that, I think we're professional enough to go out there against Sri Lanka and play a very clinical game. "There is scope for improvement in all aspects of our game. We've been playing a good tournament until now, but I'm sure personally each player would have some box to tick." Defending champions Australia, two-time winners India and England and New Zealand have booked their semi-final places ahead of Saturday's last group games. India, who are second in a table currently topped by Australia, need to beat Sri Lanka to leapfrog Aaron Finch's side. They also need help from eliminated South Africa, who would have to beat Australia later on Saturday at Old Trafford for India to end in top spot. Karthik insisted India, who will take on either New Zealand at Old Trafford on Tuesday or England two days later, have no preference for their semi-final opponent. 'Any team can stand up' "It's hard for me to say, obviously, which team will be a threat. But on any given day any team can stand up. And that's the beauty of a tournament like a World Cup," Karthik said. "We're really looking forward to it as a team. At the same time, I think we have a game to play in Leeds. We'll do the best we can tomorrow." India's middle order has faced flak for going slow in the final half of the innings in recent matches, with Karthik included in the line-up in place of underfire Kedar Jadhav for the Bangladesh game. Karthik, a wicketkeeper-batsman who bats at number seven, said adapting to conditions is key on English wickets. "Obviously, it depends first thing on the conditions. And also it depends a little bit on how many batsmen you have behind you," he said. "When I go in at No. 7, I need to judge this -- assess the situation of the game and then play accordingly." Teams have rarely been able to chase down scores of over 250 in this World Cup, but Karthik insists India are equipped to handle any possibility that comes their way. "I think we as a team believe that we're good chasers, because that's what we do day in, day out," he said. "And we're a team that actually has the ability to handle pressure very well. We'd back ourselves to chase and get the totals that we believe we can achieve."

India won't relax in group finale as World Cup semis loom: Dinesh Karthik

India batsman KL Rahul has enjoyed a quietly productive Cricket World Cup so far and while he has failed to capitalise on several good starts he feels no need to try to play like opening partner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rohit-sharma-presents-injured-fan-with-yellow-autographed-bat-after-sixer-ball-hit-her-232572">Rohit Sharma</a>, who is in the form of his life.

Rohit produced another sublime innings to notch his fourth hundred of the tournament as India booked their semi-final place with a 28-run win over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-indias-yorker-specialist-jasprit-bumrah-reaps-benefits-of-net-practice-232568">Bangladesh </a>at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

The right-hander became only the second batsman, after Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, to score four tons&nbsp;at a single World Cup, prompting captain Virat Kohli to dub him the world's leading one-day player.

Rahul, who moved up the order in the absence of injured Shikhar Dhawan, admitted his transition has been easier as Rohit continues to find boundaries at will, easing the pressure in the opening powerplay.

"You would be a fool to be tempted to bat like Rohit because he is in a different class," Rahul told reporters. "He is from a different planet altogether when he gets going.''

"To bat with him is really easy because he takes the pressure off you. He keeps getting the boundaries and the scoreboard keeps ticking, I just have to keep there with him. It is great fun," he added.

Rahul, whose 77 against Bangladesh was his highest score of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-indias-most-passionate-fan-in-world-cup-skipper-virat-kohli-greets-her-232567">World Cup</a>, said he was pleased with his steady progress at the top of the order and feels a big score is around the corner.

"Personally, I feel I have been going well, but am not fully satisfied as I haven't carried on after some of the starts," he added.

"When I say 'convert' I mean getting to say 35 or 45 overs as often as I can because in these conditions it is the set batsmen who can do the most damage," said Rahul.

India batsman KL Rahul has enjoyed a quietly productive Cricket World Cup so far and while he has failed to capitalise on several good starts he feels no need to try to play like opening partner Rohit Sharma, who is in the form of his life.

India batsman KL Rahul has enjoyed a quietly productive Cricket World Cup so far and while he has failed to capitalise on several good starts he feels no need to try to play like opening partner Rohit Sharma, who is in the form of his life. Rohit produced another sublime innings to notch his fourth hundred of the tournament as India booked their semi-final place with a 28-run win over Bangladesh at Edgbaston on Tuesday. The right-hander became only the second batsman, after Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, to score four tons at a single World Cup, prompting captain Virat Kohli to dub him the world's leading one-day player. Rahul, who moved up the order in the absence of injured Shikhar Dhawan, admitted his transition has been easier as Rohit continues to find boundaries at will, easing the pressure in the opening powerplay. "You would be a fool to be tempted to bat like Rohit because he is in a different class," Rahul told reporters. "He is from a different planet altogether when he gets going.'' "To bat with him is really easy because he takes the pressure off you. He keeps getting the boundaries and the scoreboard keeps ticking, I just have to keep there with him. It is great fun," he added. Rahul, whose 77 against Bangladesh was his highest score of the World Cup, said he was pleased with his steady progress at the top of the order and feels a big score is around the corner. "Personally, I feel I have been going well, but am not fully satisfied as I haven't carried on after some of the starts," he added. "When I say 'convert' I mean getting to say 35 or 45 overs as often as I can because in these conditions it is the set batsmen who can do the most damage," said Rahul.

World Cup: Rohit Sharma's batting on a different planet, says KL Rahul

An 87-year-old India cricket fan, named Charulata Patel, became the&nbsp;internet sensation after she was spotted cheering for Team India during the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-india-beat-bangladesh-by-28-runs-to-make-semis-232562">India vs Bangladesh World Cup&nbsp;match</a> at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli could not resist himself from meeting Charulata&nbsp;and he also called her one of the most passionate and dedicated fans he has ever seen.

Virat took to Twitter to thank the&nbsp;special fan, he wrote, "Also would like to thank all our fans for all the love &amp; support &amp; especially Charulata Patel ji. She's 87 and probably one of the most passionate &amp; dedicated fans I've ever seen. Age is just a number, the passion takes you leaps &amp; bounds. With her blessings, on to the next one."

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Also would like to thank all our fans for all the love &amp; support &amp; especially Charulata Patel ji. She's 87 and probably one of the most passionate &amp; dedicated fans I've ever seen. Age is just a number, passion takes you leaps &amp; bounds. With her blessings, on to the next one. 🙏🏼😇 <a href="https://t.co/XHII8zw1F2">pic.twitter.com/XHII8zw1F2</a>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1146121514158190595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Indian fans started the celebrations when India entered the semi-finals of the tournament after&nbsp;defeating&nbsp;Bangladesh by 28 runs.&nbsp;

During the match, Charulata was spotted in the stands blowing a vuvuzela and fans and commentators appreciated her spirit for the game even at this age.&nbsp;

Charulata, who saw India lift the World Cup for the first time in 1983, said she had danced back then and will dance again after India beat Bangladesh.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharmas-twin-gems-equalling-kumar-sangakkaras-record-breaking-ms-dhonis-232420">Rohit Sharma's twin gems: Equalling Sangakkara's record, breaking Dhoni's</a>

Watch the video:

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> Birmingham: 87 years old Charulata Patel who was seen cheering for India in the stands during <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BANvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BANvIND</a> match, waves the tricolor and blows a vuvuzela. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://t.co/oVoOhbjFyp">pic.twitter.com/oVoOhbjFyp</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1146095596706705410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Age: 87 
Passion: Unlimited! 
Young-at-heart Charulata Patel cheering for India has our hearts!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvBAN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvBAN</a> ICC <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TameTheTigers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TameTheTigers</a> <a href="https://t.co/LBDuVbUn1h">pic.twitter.com/LBDuVbUn1h</a>
— Hotstar (@hotstartweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/hotstartweets/status/1146096897272111110?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"They (Indian cricket team in 1983) won and got to that you know that World Cup…I got so proud you know, I start(ed) to dance and today I say(said) to my granddaughter I say(said) today also when India (is) going to win with (against) that Bangladesh I am going to dance there," said&nbsp;Charulata.&nbsp;

India will now compete against Sri Lanka on July 6.&nbsp;

An 87-year-old India cricket fan, named Charulata Patel, became the internet sensation after she was spotted cheering for Team India during the India vs Bangladesh World Cup match at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

An 87-year-old India cricket fan, named Charulata Patel, became the internet sensation after she was spotted cheering for Team India during the India vs Bangladesh World Cup match at Edgbaston on Tuesday. Indian skipper Virat Kohli could not resist himself from meeting Charulata and he also called her one of the most passionate and dedicated fans he has ever seen. Virat took to Twitter to thank the special fan, he wrote, "Also would like to thank all our fans for all the love & support & especially Charulata Patel ji. She's 87 and probably one of the most passionate & dedicated fans I've ever seen. Age is just a number, the passion takes you leaps & bounds. With her blessings, on to the next one." Also would like to thank all our fans for all the love & support & especially Charulata Patel ji. She's 87 and probably one of the most passionate & dedicated fans I've ever seen. Age is just a number, passion takes you leaps & bounds. With her blessings, on to the next one. 🙏🏼😇 pic.twitter.com/XHII8zw1F2 — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 2, 2019 × Indian fans started the celebrations when India entered the semi-finals of the tournament after defeating Bangladesh by 28 runs. During the match, Charulata was spotted in the stands blowing a vuvuzela and fans and commentators appreciated her spirit for the game even at this age. Charulata, who saw India lift the World Cup for the first time in 1983, said she had danced back then and will dance again after India beat Bangladesh. Also Read: Rohit Sharma's twin gems: Equalling Sangakkara's record, breaking Dhoni's Watch the video: #WATCH Birmingham: 87 years old Charulata Patel who was seen cheering for India in the stands during #BANvIND match, waves the tricolor and blows a vuvuzela. #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/oVoOhbjFyp — ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2019 × Age: 87 Passion: Unlimited! Young-at-heart Charulata Patel cheering for India has our hearts!#INDvBAN ICC #CWC19 #TameTheTigers pic.twitter.com/LBDuVbUn1h — Hotstar (@hotstartweets) July 2, 2019 × "They (Indian cricket team in 1983) won and got to that you know that World Cup…I got so proud you know, I start(ed) to dance and today I say(said) to my granddaughter I say(said) today also when India (is) going to win with (against) that Bangladesh I am going to dance there," said Charulata. India will now compete against Sri Lanka on July 6.

Watch: India's 'most passionate' fan in World Cup; skipper Virat Kohli greets her

India's opening batsman <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharmas-twin-gems-equalling-kumar-sangakkaras-record-breaking-ms-dhonis-232420">Rohit Sharma presented</a> a young fan with an autographed hat after she was hit by one of the opener's sixes during his century on Tuesday.

Sharma's 104 -- his fourth century of the World Cup -- helped <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-india-beat-bangladesh-by-28-runs-to-make-semis-232562">India clinch a semi-final spot</a> after they defended their total of 314 for nine, beating Bangladesh by 28 runs.

The attacking opener smashed seven fours and five sixes during his 92-ball blitz and one of his hits found the unfortunate Indian fan in the crowd.

Sharma met the girl, identified as Meena, after the match to present a yellow autographed hat.

She was hit in the face by the ball when the supporter in front of her failed to catch it.

Sharma set the tone for India's domination, putting on 180 runs with opening partner KL Rahul, who made 77.

Virat Kohli's India, who have won six of their eight matches, play their final group game against Sri Lanka in Leeds on Saturday.

India's opening batsman Rohit Sharma presented a young fan with an autographed hat after she was hit by one of the opener's sixes during his century on Tuesday. Sharma's 104 -- his fourth century of the World Cup -- helped India clinch a semi-final spot after they defended their total of 314 for nine, beating Bangladesh by 28 runs.

India's opening batsman Rohit Sharma presented a young fan with an autographed hat after she was hit by one of the opener's sixes during his century on Tuesday. Sharma's 104 -- his fourth century of the World Cup -- helped India clinch a semi-final spot after they defended their total of 314 for nine, beating Bangladesh by 28 runs. The attacking opener smashed seven fours and five sixes during his 92-ball blitz and one of his hits found the unfortunate Indian fan in the crowd. Sharma met the girl, identified as Meena, after the match to present a yellow autographed hat. She was hit in the face by the ball when the supporter in front of her failed to catch it. Sharma set the tone for India's domination, putting on 180 runs with opening partner KL Rahul, who made 77. Virat Kohli's India, who have won six of their eight matches, play their final group game against Sri Lanka in Leeds on Saturday.

Rohit Sharma presents injured fan with yellow autographed hat after 'sixer ball' hit her

For someone as flamboyant off the pitch as on it, it is fitting that Hardik Pandya's transformation into India's reliable fifth bowler has been nothing less than spectacular at this year's Cricket World Cup.

The 25-year-old, known for his flashy clothes and love for bling, arrived in <a href="http://cms.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-cricket-world-cup-2019-match-41-england-vs-new-zealand-232709">England </a>with many wondering if he was good enough for the fifth bowler's job in his maiden World Cup.

The seam-bowling all-rounder has since effortlessly dispelled any shred of doubt with a string of stellar performances with the ball.

He bowled his full 10 overs against Australia, Afghanistan, England and Bangladesh. India's opening fixture against South Africa was the only match where the opposition lasted 50 overs and Pandya did not complete his quota.

He now inspires so much confidence in Virat Kohli that the India captain went with only five bowlers in Tuesday's victory against Bangladesh which secured their place in the semi-finals.

"We experienced that Hardik, when put under pressure has, come back really well in this tournament..." Kohli said of what prompted his "gamble" with the bowling attack.

"He finds a way to contain the runs and get you wickets. He's really looking forward to do stuff for the team, that's really helping his cricket," Kohli said.

<a href="http://cms.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-india-beat-bangladesh-by-28-runs-to-make-semis-232562">Pandya claimed 3-60</a> on Tuesday and his victims included Bangladesh talisman Shakib Al Hasan, who top-scored for his side with 66, and Liton Das, who he dismissed with a trademark short ball.

WISER PANDYA

The all-rounder has fine-tuned his bowling and appears to have returned wiser from a brief suspension earlier this year for his comments about women on a television show in January.

Kohli suggested that underneath Pandya's casual exterior lies a cerebral cricketer who draws from his experience as an all-rounder to outwit batsmen.

"When he comes to bowl, he thinks like a batsman," Kohli said. "He actually wants the ball under pressure because he thinks like a batter, so he can check their body language and know what to bowl and when. He's bowling really well for us."

Bowling coach Bharat Arun had earlier explained how much <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-waugh-compares-hardik-pandya-with-lance-klusener-after-blistering-innings-against-australia-226198&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiJ54TX55jjAhVBjuYKHbrTCKEQFjAIegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0QofF89EULJi3jfRk1-6S1">Pandya </a>had evolved to fit the fifth bowler's role.

"It was a big challenge for him to bowl those 10 overs, and he realised that to be able to bowl those 10 overs 'I need to develop a certain armoury in my bowling'," Arun said in Manchester last month.

"And that's what he's worked on. He's worked on his slow balls, his slow bouncers, and he’s also worked on perfecting his bouncers. All these put together have given him the confidence to go through those 10 overs," said Arun.

For someone as flamboyant off the pitch as on it, it is fitting that Hardik Pandya's transformation into India's reliable fifth bowler has been nothing less than spectacular at this year's Cricket World Cup.

For someone as flamboyant off the pitch as on it, it is fitting that Hardik Pandya's transformation into India's reliable fifth bowler has been nothing less than spectacular at this year's Cricket World Cup. The 25-year-old, known for his flashy clothes and love for bling, arrived in England with many wondering if he was good enough for the fifth bowler's job in his maiden World Cup. The seam-bowling all-rounder has since effortlessly dispelled any shred of doubt with a string of stellar performances with the ball. He bowled his full 10 overs against Australia, Afghanistan, England and Bangladesh. India's opening fixture against South Africa was the only match where the opposition lasted 50 overs and Pandya did not complete his quota. He now inspires so much confidence in Virat Kohli that the India captain went with only five bowlers in Tuesday's victory against Bangladesh which secured their place in the semi-finals. "We experienced that Hardik, when put under pressure has, come back really well in this tournament..." Kohli said of what prompted his "gamble" with the bowling attack. "He finds a way to contain the runs and get you wickets. He's really looking forward to do stuff for the team, that's really helping his cricket," Kohli said. Pandya claimed 3-60 on Tuesday and his victims included Bangladesh talisman Shakib Al Hasan, who top-scored for his side with 66, and Liton Das, who he dismissed with a trademark short ball. WISER PANDYA The all-rounder has fine-tuned his bowling and appears to have returned wiser from a brief suspension earlier this year for his comments about women on a television show in January. Kohli suggested that underneath Pandya's casual exterior lies a cerebral cricketer who draws from his experience as an all-rounder to outwit batsmen. "When he comes to bowl, he thinks like a batsman," Kohli said. "He actually wants the ball under pressure because he thinks like a batter, so he can check their body language and know what to bowl and when. He's bowling really well for us." Bowling coach Bharat Arun had earlier explained how much Pandya had evolved to fit the fifth bowler's role. "It was a big challenge for him to bowl those 10 overs, and he realised that to be able to bowl those 10 overs 'I need to develop a certain armoury in my bowling'," Arun said in Manchester last month. "And that's what he's worked on. He's worked on his slow balls, his slow bouncers, and he’s also worked on perfecting his bouncers. All these put together have given him the confidence to go through those 10 overs," said Arun.

Hardik Pandya uses experience as all-rounder to outwit players, says India skipper Virat Kohli

Ambati Rayudu on Wednesday made a decision to step away from cricket and retired from all forms and levels of the game.

In a letter to the BCCI, former India middle-order batsman said, "I have come to decision to step away from the sport and retire from all forms and levels of the game."

The 33-year-old expressed his gratitude to the national governing body for cricket and all the state associations including Hyderabad, Baroda, Andhra and Vidharbha, and IPL franchises Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians for their support.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the BCCI&nbsp;and all the state associations that I have represented which include Hyderabad, Baroda, Andhra and Vidharbha. I also would like to thank the two IPL franchises MI and CSK&nbsp;for their support," he continued.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-ambati-rayudu-announces-retirement-from-all-forms-of-cricket-232677">Rayudu </a>also thanked captains MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli under whom he played.

"It has been an honour and privilege to have represented our country. I would like to thank the captains I have played under, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and especially Virat Kohli who always had shown great belief in me throughout my career with the Indian team," he said.

The former middle-order batsman signed off, saying he learned from every up and down in his career at various levels. He also thanked his family and well-wishers for their continued support.

"It has been a wonderful journey of playing the sport and learning from every up and down it brought upon for the last 25 years at various different levels. Finally, I would like to thank my family and all the wellwishers who have been with me throughout this wonderful journey," he concluded.

The cricketer was snubbed from the World Cup squad and in place of him, all-rounder <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/vijay-shankar-is-three-dimensional-looking-him-at-no-4-msk-prasad-after-naming-indias-world-cup-squad-210607&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiXjKKU1JjjAhXBBKYKHUvWBeAQFjAAegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2djmUPMIhOWcK1oKjiPoYj">Vijay Shankar</a> was given a chance in the team.

While announcing the squad, chief selector MSK Prasad had said, "After the Champions Trophy, we tried a lot of middle-order batsmen, which includes (Dinesh) Karthik as well. We gave Rayudu many chances, but Shankar gives us the ability with the three dimensions (bowling, batting, fielding). If the conditions are suitable, he can come in as an all-rounder. Shankar is a batsman who can bowl, we are looking to play him at number four."

Following the announcement, Rayudu took Twitter and posted a cheeky message.

"Just Ordered a new set of 3d glasses to watch the world cup," Rayudu had tweeted.

Even after injuries to Shikhar Dhawan and Shankar in the ongoing World Cup, Rayudu was not called into the squad.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-indias-shikhar-dhawan-ruled-out-due-to-thumb-fracture-228686&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi8yaOg1JjjAhUP3Y8KHXDCBCgQFjABegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2mS-bm7mdctQ6EA_3D8s2Z">Dhawan </a>and Shankar were replaced by Rishabh Pant and Mayank Agarwal, respectively.

Rayudu was a regular member in the Indian squad for the past one year and averaged 47.05 in the ODI format.

He had been team's number four batsman since the Asia Cup last year. He had scored one century and four half-centuries since then.

Rayudu even scored 113-ball 90 in New Zealand earlier this year paving the way for India's victory.

But he fell off the wagon of late as he was not able to replicate his good performances in the ODI series against Australia.

The batsman played 55 ODIs for India, scoring 1694 runs at an average of 47.06.

Ambati Rayudu on Wednesday made a decision to step away from cricket and retired from all forms and levels of the game. In a letter to the BCCI, former India middle-order batsman said, "I have come to decision to step away from the sport and retire from all forms and levels of the game.

Ambati Rayudu on Wednesday made a decision to step away from cricket and retired from all forms and levels of the game. In a letter to the BCCI, former India middle-order batsman said, "I have come to decision to step away from the sport and retire from all forms and levels of the game." The 33-year-old expressed his gratitude to the national governing body for cricket and all the state associations including Hyderabad, Baroda, Andhra and Vidharbha, and IPL franchises Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians for their support. "I would like to take this opportunity to thank the BCCI and all the state associations that I have represented which include Hyderabad, Baroda, Andhra and Vidharbha. I also would like to thank the two IPL franchises MI and CSK for their support," he continued. Rayudu also thanked captains MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli under whom he played. "It has been an honour and privilege to have represented our country. I would like to thank the captains I have played under, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and especially Virat Kohli who always had shown great belief in me throughout my career with the Indian team," he said. The former middle-order batsman signed off, saying he learned from every up and down in his career at various levels. He also thanked his family and well-wishers for their continued support. "It has been a wonderful journey of playing the sport and learning from every up and down it brought upon for the last 25 years at various different levels. Finally, I would like to thank my family and all the wellwishers who have been with me throughout this wonderful journey," he concluded. The cricketer was snubbed from the World Cup squad and in place of him, all-rounder Vijay Shankar was given a chance in the team. While announcing the squad, chief selector MSK Prasad had said, "After the Champions Trophy, we tried a lot of middle-order batsmen, which includes (Dinesh) Karthik as well. We gave Rayudu many chances, but Shankar gives us the ability with the three dimensions (bowling, batting, fielding). If the conditions are suitable, he can come in as an all-rounder. Shankar is a batsman who can bowl, we are looking to play him at number four." Following the announcement, Rayudu took Twitter and posted a cheeky message. "Just Ordered a new set of 3d glasses to watch the world cup," Rayudu had tweeted. Even after injuries to Shikhar Dhawan and Shankar in the ongoing World Cup, Rayudu was not called into the squad. Dhawan and Shankar were replaced by Rishabh Pant and Mayank Agarwal, respectively. Rayudu was a regular member in the Indian squad for the past one year and averaged 47.05 in the ODI format. He had been team's number four batsman since the Asia Cup last year. He had scored one century and four half-centuries since then. Rayudu even scored 113-ball 90 in New Zealand earlier this year paving the way for India's victory. But he fell off the wagon of late as he was not able to replicate his good performances in the ODI series against Australia. The batsman played 55 ODIs for India, scoring 1694 runs at an average of 47.06.

Here's what Ambati Rayudu wrote in retirement letter to BCCI

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-cricket-world-cup-2019-match-40-india-vs-bangladesh-232302">India beat Bangladesh by 28 runs</a> on Tuesday to qualify for the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup and eliminate their neighbours in the process.

Rohit Sharma smashed his fourth century of this year's tournament and featured in a massive 180-run opening partnership with KL Rahul to help India to a commanding 314-9.

Shakib Al Hasan struck a defiant 66 but the lack of partnerships hurt Bangladesh, who were all out for 286 in 48 overs with Bumrah (4-55) sealing the victory by claiming two wickets with the final two deliveries.

India are now second with 13 points, one behind leaders Australia, while Bangladesh are seventh with seven points.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharmas-twin-gems-equalling-kumar-sangakkaras-record-breaking-ms-dhonis-232420">Rohit Sharma's twin gems: Equalling Sangakkara's record, breaking Dhoni's</a>

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-bangladesh-15-years-after-odi-debut-dinesh-karthik-named-in-world-cup-playing-xi-232391">15 years after ODI debut, Dinesh Karthik named in World Cup Playing XI</a>

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All smiles for India as they secure qualification to the semi-finals 😄 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BANvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BANvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/urrRjxeO8t">pic.twitter.com/urrRjxeO8t</a>
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketworldcup/status/1146111733154689024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"Bangladesh played some really good cricket and deserve credit for the fight they put up," said India captain Virat Kohli. "We had to work hard for the win and we're happy to see a Q (qualified) in front of our name now."

Earlier, Rohit combined with Rahul (77) for the highest opening partnership at this year's tournament to give India a strong foundation after they elected to bat.

Things could have been vastly different though had Tamim Iqbal not spilled Rohit, then on nine, at midwicket off Mustafizur Rahman who went on to return 5-59.

Rohit capitalised on the reprieve to smash a 92-ball 104, equalling Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara's record of four hundreds in a single World Cup, which earned him the man-of-the-match.

The opener clobbered five of the seven sixes in the Indian innings, besides seven fours, and overtook Australian David Warner as the leading scorer at this tournament.

Soumya Sarkar ended the ominous-looking partnership in the 30th over when Rohit mistimed his drive.

Rahul joined him in the pavilion after bringing up his second half-century of this tournament.

Kohli made 26, his first sub-50 score in his last six innings, and India's middle order again struggled to get going.

Rishabh Pant, who made 48 off 41 balls, scored freely but India could not really capitalise on the fine start.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni made 35 but once again failed to launch a late assault which could have taken India past the 350-mark which had looked well within their reach at one stage.

India played two wicketkeepers -- Pant and Dinesh Karthik -- as specialist batsmen to beef up their misfiring middle order but the woes persisted.

A strong start was imperative to chase down a 300-plus target and Bangladesh were understandably cautious as they embarked on trying to repeat their upset victory against India at the 2007 World Cup.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, returning from a hamstring injury, and Bumrah kept it tight up front but Mohammed Shami drew the first blood for India by dismissing Tamim for 22.

Fellow opener Soumya Sarkar could not convert the start he got into a big innings either, hitting Hardik Pandya straight to Kohli at short extra cover to depart for 33.

Shakib brought up his sixth 50-plus score at the tournament but wickets kept tumbling at the other end.

Mohammad Saifuddin (51 not out) and Sabbir Rahman (36) forged the only 50-plus partnership in the Bangladesh innings but they never really threatened to pull off a difficult chase.

"It was a good effort - Mustafizur bowled well - but if one of the batsmen could have got to 80 or 90 it might have been different," Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza said.

"We were asking too much in the end. A bit of luck didn't go our way either."

India beat Bangladesh by 28 runs on Tuesday to qualify for the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup and eliminate their neighbours in the process. Rohit Sharma smashed his fourth century of this year's tournament and featured in a massive 180-run opening partnership with KL Rahul to help India to a commanding 314-9.

India beat Bangladesh by 28 runs on Tuesday to qualify for the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup and eliminate their neighbours in the process. Rohit Sharma smashed his fourth century of this year's tournament and featured in a massive 180-run opening partnership with KL Rahul to help India to a commanding 314-9. Shakib Al Hasan struck a defiant 66 but the lack of partnerships hurt Bangladesh, who were all out for 286 in 48 overs with Bumrah (4-55) sealing the victory by claiming two wickets with the final two deliveries. India are now second with 13 points, one behind leaders Australia, while Bangladesh are seventh with seven points. Also Read: Rohit Sharma's twin gems: Equalling Sangakkara's record, breaking Dhoni's Also Read: 15 years after ODI debut, Dinesh Karthik named in World Cup Playing XI All smiles for India as they secure qualification to the semi-finals 😄 #CWC19 | #BANvIND pic.twitter.com/urrRjxeO8t — Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) July 2, 2019 × "Bangladesh played some really good cricket and deserve credit for the fight they put up," said India captain Virat Kohli. "We had to work hard for the win and we're happy to see a Q (qualified) in front of our name now." Earlier, Rohit combined with Rahul (77) for the highest opening partnership at this year's tournament to give India a strong foundation after they elected to bat. Things could have been vastly different though had Tamim Iqbal not spilled Rohit, then on nine, at midwicket off Mustafizur Rahman who went on to return 5-59. Rohit capitalised on the reprieve to smash a 92-ball 104, equalling Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara's record of four hundreds in a single World Cup, which earned him the man-of-the-match. The opener clobbered five of the seven sixes in the Indian innings, besides seven fours, and overtook Australian David Warner as the leading scorer at this tournament. Soumya Sarkar ended the ominous-looking partnership in the 30th over when Rohit mistimed his drive. Rahul joined him in the pavilion after bringing up his second half-century of this tournament. Kohli made 26, his first sub-50 score in his last six innings, and India's middle order again struggled to get going. Rishabh Pant, who made 48 off 41 balls, scored freely but India could not really capitalise on the fine start. Mahendra Singh Dhoni made 35 but once again failed to launch a late assault which could have taken India past the 350-mark which had looked well within their reach at one stage. India played two wicketkeepers -- Pant and Dinesh Karthik -- as specialist batsmen to beef up their misfiring middle order but the woes persisted. A strong start was imperative to chase down a 300-plus target and Bangladesh were understandably cautious as they embarked on trying to repeat their upset victory against India at the 2007 World Cup. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, returning from a hamstring injury, and Bumrah kept it tight up front but Mohammed Shami drew the first blood for India by dismissing Tamim for 22. Fellow opener Soumya Sarkar could not convert the start he got into a big innings either, hitting Hardik Pandya straight to Kohli at short extra cover to depart for 33. Shakib brought up his sixth 50-plus score at the tournament but wickets kept tumbling at the other end. Mohammad Saifuddin (51 not out) and Sabbir Rahman (36) forged the only 50-plus partnership in the Bangladesh innings but they never really threatened to pull off a difficult chase. "It was a good effort - Mustafizur bowled well - but if one of the batsmen could have got to 80 or 90 it might have been different," Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza said. "We were asking too much in the end. A bit of luck didn't go our way either."

World Cup: India beat Bangladesh by 28 runs to make semis

Players to watch out for in India vs Bangladesh World Cup clash

Cricket World Cup 2019: Asian dominance in Britishers' game

West Indies great Clive Lloyd believes Australia and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharmas-twin-gems-equalling-kumar-sangakkaras-record-breaking-ms-dhonis-232420">India </a>are the "standout" teams at the World Cup but has urged Virat Kohli's side to boost their batting if they are to dethrone the reigning champions.

Australia, whose only loss at the tournament so far has come against India, are already through to the semi-finals.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-cricket-world-cup-2019-match-40-india-vs-bangladesh-232302">India </a>will be assured of joining them if they beat Bangladesh on Tuesday and the two-time former champions are likely to get through to the knockout stage in any event.

Lloyd, the West Indies' captain when they won the first two men's World Cups in 1975 and 1979, has been impressed by Australia and India.

"They have been the two standout teams for me at this World Cup," said Lloyd in an ICC column published on Tuesday.

"They have understood the conditions better than any of the others," he said.

But Lloyd said India's 31-run defeat by England at Edgbaston on Sunday had exposed a weakness in Kohli's team.

"England played the right kind of game against them by attacking the spinners and they need to strengthen their batting lower down the order," said Lloyd.

Lloyd, now 74, was one of the original powerful shotmakers, which are now commonplace in one-day cricket.

The former West Indies skipper has tipped <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australias-pat-cummins-issues-warning-to-world-cup-rivals-232269">Australia </a>left-hander Alex Carey, who scored 71 in the win against New Zealand, as a potential star of the tournament.

"Carey was a relative unknown beforehand but he bats with such maturity," he said. "He has the freedom to attack but also the technical skills needed to find the boundary,'' Lloyd said.

"He is a bolter and I have loved watching him play," he added.

The West Indies only have pride left to play for in their final group match against Afghanistan, with Jason Holder's men out of the running for a place in the semi-finals.

But Lloyd said it was "far from doom or gloom" for his old side, citing Nicholas Pooran's maiden ODI century in Monday's narrow <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-cricket-world-cup-2019-match-39-sri-lanka-vs-west-indies-231990">defeat by Sri Lanka</a> as a cause for optimism.&nbsp;

"He has done very well in this tournament and is someone we can really build around going forward," said Lloyd.

"He has a lot of things to learn but the raw ingredients are there for him to go on and become a fine player for the West Indies over the next few years," Lloyd added.

West Indies great Clive Lloyd believes Australia and India are the "standout" teams at the World Cup but has urged Virat Kohli's side to boost their batting if they are to dethrone the reigning champions.

West Indies great Clive Lloyd believes Australia and India are the "standout" teams at the World Cup but has urged Virat Kohli's side to boost their batting if they are to dethrone the reigning champions. Australia, whose only loss at the tournament so far has come against India, are already through to the semi-finals. India will be assured of joining them if they beat Bangladesh on Tuesday and the two-time former champions are likely to get through to the knockout stage in any event. Lloyd, the West Indies' captain when they won the first two men's World Cups in 1975 and 1979, has been impressed by Australia and India. "They have been the two standout teams for me at this World Cup," said Lloyd in an ICC column published on Tuesday. "They have understood the conditions better than any of the others," he said. But Lloyd said India's 31-run defeat by England at Edgbaston on Sunday had exposed a weakness in Kohli's team. "England played the right kind of game against them by attacking the spinners and they need to strengthen their batting lower down the order," said Lloyd. Lloyd, now 74, was one of the original powerful shotmakers, which are now commonplace in one-day cricket. The former West Indies skipper has tipped Australia left-hander Alex Carey, who scored 71 in the win against New Zealand, as a potential star of the tournament. "Carey was a relative unknown beforehand but he bats with such maturity," he said. "He has the freedom to attack but also the technical skills needed to find the boundary,'' Lloyd said. "He is a bolter and I have loved watching him play," he added. The West Indies only have pride left to play for in their final group match against Afghanistan, with Jason Holder's men out of the running for a place in the semi-finals. But Lloyd said it was "far from doom or gloom" for his old side, citing Nicholas Pooran's maiden ODI century in Monday's narrow defeat by Sri Lanka as a cause for optimism. "He has done very well in this tournament and is someone we can really build around going forward," said Lloyd. "He has a lot of things to learn but the raw ingredients are there for him to go on and become a fine player for the West Indies over the next few years," Lloyd added.

World Cup: India and Australia are 'standout' teams, says Clive Lloyd

Indian skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-skipper-virat-kohli-explains-how-he-fakes-being-calm-231522">Virat Kohli</a> has reacted to&nbsp;team's away jersey during a press conference&nbsp;ahead of the World Cup match against England, which is scheduled to take place in Birmingham on Sunday.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli-led Team India will sport orange jerseys instead of the usual blue against the hosts of Cricket World Cup 2019.&nbsp;

The image of the jersey, which is navy-blue-orange coloured, was shared on the official Twitter handle of The Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) on Friday.&nbsp;

Ahead of the World Cup, International Cricket Council (ICC) had issued a guideline, requiring teams to have two different uniforms for all its televised tournaments except hosts England.&nbsp;

During the pre-match press conference, Virat said, "For one game, it's fine. I don't think permanently we'd be heading in that direction because blue has always been our colour, very proud to wear that. For a change and looking at the occasion, it's a very smart kit."&nbsp;

Kohli, however, loved the designed and gave it an eight out of 10. "The fit is great, it's a nice change," he said.&nbsp;

Watch his reaction:

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Captain <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> gives the new jersey an 8/10 - What about you <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvIND</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://t.co/lYdqqS7TuZ">pic.twitter.com/lYdqqS7TuZ</a>
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"I quite like it, I think it's right up there. For me it would be eight. Honestly, I'm not saying it for the sake of it. I really like it. The contrast is very nice," Kohli said after being asked to rate the jersey.&nbsp;

Indian skipper Virat Kohli has reacted to team's away jersey during a press conference ahead of the World Cup match against England, which is scheduled to take place in Birmingham on Sunday.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli has reacted to team's away jersey during a press conference ahead of the World Cup match against England, which is scheduled to take place in Birmingham on Sunday. Virat Kohli-led Team India will sport orange jerseys instead of the usual blue against the hosts of Cricket World Cup 2019. The image of the jersey, which is navy-blue-orange coloured, was shared on the official Twitter handle of The Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) on Friday. Ahead of the World Cup, International Cricket Council (ICC) had issued a guideline, requiring teams to have two different uniforms for all its televised tournaments except hosts England. During the pre-match press conference, Virat said, "For one game, it's fine. I don't think permanently we'd be heading in that direction because blue has always been our colour, very proud to wear that. For a change and looking at the occasion, it's a very smart kit." Kohli, however, loved the designed and gave it an eight out of 10. "The fit is great, it's a nice change," he said. Watch his reaction: Captain @imVkohli gives the new jersey an 8/10 - What about you #TeamIndia #ENGvIND #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/lYdqqS7TuZ — BCCI (@BCCI) June 29, 2019 × "I quite like it, I think it's right up there. For me it would be eight. Honestly, I'm not saying it for the sake of it. I really like it. The contrast is very nice," Kohli said after being asked to rate the jersey.

'For one game, it's fine': Virat Kohli reacts on India's away jersey

England defeated India by 31 runs in a must-win clash to keep their semi-final hopes alive in the Cricket World Cup 2019.&nbsp;

After opting to bat first under a slightly overcast Birmingham sky, Eoin Morgan-led side set 338-run target for India at Edgbaston on Sunday.&nbsp;

Chasing the same, India scored 306 runs in their allotted 50 overs.

This&nbsp;is the first time England defeated India in the World Cup since 1992.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KL Rahul departed without even opening his account but the other opener Rohit Sharma smashed a brilliant century before losing his wicket to Chris Woakes.&nbsp;

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-virat-kohli-speaks-on-pakistani-fans-supporting-team-india-231770">Virat Kohli speaks on Pakistani fans supporting Team India</a>

Watch: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-ravindra-jadeja-takes-a-blinder-to-dismiss-englands-jason-roy-in-world-cup-clash-231753">Ravindra Jadeja takes a blinder to dismiss England's Jason Roy in World Cup clash</a>

Virat Kohli scored 66 and all-rounder Hardik Pandya scored crucial 45 runs.&nbsp;

Debutant Rishabh Pant looked nervous with his bat in the beginning but scored 32 runs before losing his wicket to Liam Plunkett.&nbsp;

Earlier, Jonny Bairstow smashed a belligerent 111 and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/good-to-be-back-says-englands-opener-jason-roy-after-returning-from-hamstring-injury-231826">Jason Roy returned from a hamstring injury</a> to feature in the tournament's highest opening stand and power England to a commanding total.&nbsp;

For his brilliant efforts, Bairstow got Man of the Match award.&nbsp;

Bairstow nearly deflected a couple of inside edges on to the stump and Roy got a caught-behind reprieve on 21 when he gloved Hardik Pandya.&nbsp;

The umpire, however, declared it wide and the Indians deliberated for a while before deciding against reviewing the decision.

Here's the points table:&nbsp;

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Here's how the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> table looks after today's result 👀 
 
Remarkably, none of India, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh, or Pakistan have qualified for the semi-finals, but all have their fate in their own hands! 
 
Who do you think will end in the top four? <a href="https://t.co/DM3sHRLoA3">pic.twitter.com/DM3sHRLoA3</a>
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketworldcup/status/1145387779582496768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
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England reached the 150-run mark in the 21st over and it took a stunning catch by substitute fielder Ravindra Jadeja in the deep to send back Roy for 66.

Bairstow brought up his eighth ODI century off 90 balls, celebrating by dropping his helmet, stretching out his arms and soaking in the applause.

Mohammed Shami (5-69), who bowled well without luck in the morning, returned to end Bairstow's 109-ball blitz which included six sixes and 10 boundaries.&nbsp;

India stemmed the run flow in the 30-40 over period but Ben Stokes (79) provided the late assault to help England get close to the 350 mark.&nbsp;

England defeated India by 31 runs in a must-win clash to keep their semi-final hopes alive in the Cricket World Cup 2019. After opting to bat first under a slightly overcast Birmingham sky, Eoin Morgan-led side set 338-run target for India at Edgbaston on Sunday.

England defeated India by 31 runs in a must-win clash to keep their semi-final hopes alive in the Cricket World Cup 2019. After opting to bat first under a slightly overcast Birmingham sky, Eoin Morgan-led side set 338-run target for India at Edgbaston on Sunday. Chasing the same, India scored 306 runs in their allotted 50 overs. This is the first time England defeated India in the World Cup since 1992. KL Rahul departed without even opening his account but the other opener Rohit Sharma smashed a brilliant century before losing his wicket to Chris Woakes. Also Read: Virat Kohli speaks on Pakistani fans supporting Team India Watch: Ravindra Jadeja takes a blinder to dismiss England's Jason Roy in World Cup clash Virat Kohli scored 66 and all-rounder Hardik Pandya scored crucial 45 runs. Debutant Rishabh Pant looked nervous with his bat in the beginning but scored 32 runs before losing his wicket to Liam Plunkett. Earlier, Jonny Bairstow smashed a belligerent 111 and Jason Roy returned from a hamstring injury to feature in the tournament's highest opening stand and power England to a commanding total. For his brilliant efforts, Bairstow got Man of the Match award. Bairstow nearly deflected a couple of inside edges on to the stump and Roy got a caught-behind reprieve on 21 when he gloved Hardik Pandya. The umpire, however, declared it wide and the Indians deliberated for a while before deciding against reviewing the decision. Here's the points table: Here's how the #CWC19 table looks after today's result 👀 Remarkably, none of India, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh, or Pakistan have qualified for the semi-finals, but all have their fate in their own hands! Who do you think will end in the top four? pic.twitter.com/DM3sHRLoA3 — Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 30, 2019 × England reached the 150-run mark in the 21st over and it took a stunning catch by substitute fielder Ravindra Jadeja in the deep to send back Roy for 66. Bairstow brought up his eighth ODI century off 90 balls, celebrating by dropping his helmet, stretching out his arms and soaking in the applause. Mohammed Shami (5-69), who bowled well without luck in the morning, returned to end Bairstow's 109-ball blitz which included six sixes and 10 boundaries. India stemmed the run flow in the 30-40 over period but Ben Stokes (79) provided the late assault to help England get close to the 350 mark.

World Cup: England end India's unbeaten run to revive semis hopes

World Cup: Key battles in India vs England encounter

Indian skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-skipper-virat-kohli-explains-how-he-fakes-being-calm-231522">Virat Kohli</a> expressed his thoughts on the support Team India is getting from Pakistan in Sunday's World Cup group match against England at Edgbaston.&nbsp;

At the time of toss, Kohli said, "To be honest I haven't seen what's been happening outside. But I do believe the Pakistani fans will be supporting us, which is a rare thing (smiles)."

England's two back to back defeats have left their chances to book a semi-final berth precarious. After India's match, they will face New Zealand on July 3.&nbsp;

After Pakistan's win over Afghanistan on June 29, the scenario of England making it to the semi-finals has become even more difficult.&nbsp;

England's defeat will bolster Pakistan's chances of making it to the last four.&nbsp;

England vs India,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-cricket-world-cup-2019-match-38-england-vs-india-231700">click here</a>&nbsp;to get live updates

Pakistan have nine points from eight games they have played and the only remaining contest is against Bangladesh.&nbsp;

If manage to win, they will end up on 11 points making it difficult for England as they need to win both their remaining fixtures to qualify for the semi-finals.&nbsp;

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England wins the toss and they will bat first.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://t.co/SYLoVLG0G5">pic.twitter.com/SYLoVLG0G5</a>
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"It is never a problem chasing, I would have batted as well. It's a good challenge for us, we are up for it," said Kohli after England captain Eoin Morgan won the toss and opted to bat first.

"We haven't focused on the opposition to be honest, we have been finding ways to win games regardless. It's all about what you do on the day," Kohli added.&nbsp;

For India, young wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant has made his World Cup as he has replaced Vijay Shankar in the playing XI.&nbsp;

India is playing in a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-how-orange-colour-was-selected-as-indias-away-jersey-231682">different jersey other than their usual blue</a> as ahead of the World Cup, ICC had issued a guideline, requiring teams to have two different uniforms for all its televised tournaments except hosts England.&nbsp;

Keeping ICC's verdict in mind, India will be wearing an orange-blue jersey which was unveiled on Friday to distinguish themselves from hosts England who wear a lighter version of blue. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Indian skipper Virat Kohli expressed his thoughts on the support Team India is getting from Pakistan in Sunday's World Cup group match against England at Edgbaston.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli expressed his thoughts on the support Team India is getting from Pakistan in Sunday's World Cup group match against England at Edgbaston. At the time of toss, Kohli said, "To be honest I haven't seen what's been happening outside. But I do believe the Pakistani fans will be supporting us, which is a rare thing (smiles)." England's two back to back defeats have left their chances to book a semi-final berth precarious. After India's match, they will face New Zealand on July 3. After Pakistan's win over Afghanistan on June 29, the scenario of England making it to the semi-finals has become even more difficult. England's defeat will bolster Pakistan's chances of making it to the last four. England vs India, click here to get live updates Pakistan have nine points from eight games they have played and the only remaining contest is against Bangladesh. If manage to win, they will end up on 11 points making it difficult for England as they need to win both their remaining fixtures to qualify for the semi-finals. England wins the toss and they will bat first.#TeamIndia #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/SYLoVLG0G5 — BCCI (@BCCI) June 30, 2019 × "It is never a problem chasing, I would have batted as well. It's a good challenge for us, we are up for it," said Kohli after England captain Eoin Morgan won the toss and opted to bat first. "We haven't focused on the opposition to be honest, we have been finding ways to win games regardless. It's all about what you do on the day," Kohli added. For India, young wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant has made his World Cup as he has replaced Vijay Shankar in the playing XI. India is playing in a different jersey other than their usual blue as ahead of the World Cup, ICC had issued a guideline, requiring teams to have two different uniforms for all its televised tournaments except hosts England. Keeping ICC's verdict in mind, India will be wearing an orange-blue jersey which was unveiled on Friday to distinguish themselves from hosts England who wear a lighter version of blue.

World Cup: Virat Kohli speaks on Pakistani fans supporting Team India

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=virat+kohli">Virat Kohli</a> shows no signs of pressure when he bats but the India captain says it's because he knows how to fake it.

Arguably the greatest batsman of his generation, Kohli also has possibly the toughest job in international cricket - of captaining the national team of a cricket-crazy nation of 1.4 billion.

The 30-year-old, however, seems immune to pressure that comes with his twin roles as could be gauged from his nerveless half-centuries in each of India's last four matches which includes a narrow escape against Afghanistan.

"That would be a lie if I say I'm not under pressure. I'm probably good at hiding it," Kohli told reporters ahead of Sunday's group match against England.

"Everyone feels butterflies in their stomach. I'm glad that I feel like that. If I don't, then probably I don't have enough motivation to play anymore.

"I look forward to that, and maybe that's why my body language is the way it is. But in all honesty, everyone feels pressure. It's just the way you portray it to the opposition is what makes all the difference."

In January, Kohli became the first player to win all three major ICC awards and completed 20,000 international runs in their win against West Indies, quickest to the mark.

Watch the video:

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Pressure? Yes, <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> is human too 🧐🤔 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvIND</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://t.co/ePGdaxXWPC">pic.twitter.com/ePGdaxXWPC</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1144954921994747904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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India, the tournament's only unbeaten team, take on an English side who are under pressure after back-to-back defeats jeopardised their semi-final prospects.

Eoin Morgan's men need to beat India and New Zealand -- two teams they have not defeated in World Cup since 1992 -- to make the semi-finals without bothering about other results.

Kohli admitted being surprised by the struggle of the hosts who entered the tournament as the top-ranked ODI team.

"Everyone is a bit surprised because we thought England is probably going to dominate in their own conditions," he said.

"But as I said at the beginning of the tournament, pressure is going to be a massive factor and low scores are going to be defended.

"We got a scare from Afghanistan... So you can't take anything for granted."

Kohli suggested India would field an unchanged squad with quick Bhuvneshwar Kumar continuing his recovery from a tight hamstring and Vijay Shankar retaining his place at number four.

Mohammed Shami, replacing Kumar, has claimed eight wickets in two matches to present India with a pace bowling dilemma.

"Shami, in the last year and a half, has come around amazingly well. I've never seen him fitter... he has that hunger within him, and he's bowling really, really well at the moment.

"Bhuvi is recovering very fast. When he gets fit, it's going to be a bit of a headache for us to see what we're going to do."

Virat Kohli shows no signs of pressure when he bats but the India captain says it's because he knows how to fake it. Arguably the greatest batsman of his generation, Kohli also has possibly the toughest job in international cricket - of captaining the national team of a cricket-crazy nation of 1.

Virat Kohli shows no signs of pressure when he bats but the India captain says it's because he knows how to fake it. Arguably the greatest batsman of his generation, Kohli also has possibly the toughest job in international cricket - of captaining the national team of a cricket-crazy nation of 1.4 billion. The 30-year-old, however, seems immune to pressure that comes with his twin roles as could be gauged from his nerveless half-centuries in each of India's last four matches which includes a narrow escape against Afghanistan. "That would be a lie if I say I'm not under pressure. I'm probably good at hiding it," Kohli told reporters ahead of Sunday's group match against England. "Everyone feels butterflies in their stomach. I'm glad that I feel like that. If I don't, then probably I don't have enough motivation to play anymore. "I look forward to that, and maybe that's why my body language is the way it is. But in all honesty, everyone feels pressure. It's just the way you portray it to the opposition is what makes all the difference." In January, Kohli became the first player to win all three major ICC awards and completed 20,000 international runs in their win against West Indies, quickest to the mark. Watch the video: Pressure? Yes, @imVkohli is human too 🧐🤔 #TeamIndia #ENGvIND #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/ePGdaxXWPC — BCCI (@BCCI) June 29, 2019 × India, the tournament's only unbeaten team, take on an English side who are under pressure after back-to-back defeats jeopardised their semi-final prospects. Eoin Morgan's men need to beat India and New Zealand -- two teams they have not defeated in World Cup since 1992 -- to make the semi-finals without bothering about other results. Kohli admitted being surprised by the struggle of the hosts who entered the tournament as the top-ranked ODI team. "Everyone is a bit surprised because we thought England is probably going to dominate in their own conditions," he said. "But as I said at the beginning of the tournament, pressure is going to be a massive factor and low scores are going to be defended. "We got a scare from Afghanistan... So you can't take anything for granted." Kohli suggested India would field an unchanged squad with quick Bhuvneshwar Kumar continuing his recovery from a tight hamstring and Vijay Shankar retaining his place at number four. Mohammed Shami, replacing Kumar, has claimed eight wickets in two matches to present India with a pace bowling dilemma. "Shami, in the last year and a half, has come around amazingly well. I've never seen him fitter... he has that hunger within him, and he's bowling really, really well at the moment. "Bhuvi is recovering very fast. When he gets fit, it's going to be a bit of a headache for us to see what we're going to do."

Indian skipper Virat Kohli explains how he fakes being calm

England are still in control of their destiny at the Cricket World Cup and the mood is pretty good in the camp despite "external pressures", wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler said ahead of Sunday's blockbuster clash against India.

Eoin Morgan's men entered the tournament as the number one one-day team on a mission to end <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-people-are-waiting-for-us-to-fail-says-englands-jonny-bairstow-231113">England's </a>agonising wait for a first 50-overs World Cup title, that too on home soil.

Back-to-back defeats by Sri Lanka and Australia have not only cost them their top ODI rankings but also jeopardised their semi-final prospects in their home World Cup.

Buttler conceded the team were feeling the pressure but assured they were not panicking.

"Mood in the camp is still very good," Buttler told reporters at Edgbaston.

"Naturally there are some external pressures. It would be naive to say we got blinkers on and not aware of things going on outside or the pressure of the tournament,'' Buttler said.

"We know we didn't perform well enough in the previous two games to be beaten but we still got the opportunity to put that right and the guys turned up with smile on their faces and ready for a big week," Buttler added.

The straightforward way to reach the semi-finals will be to beat India and New Zealand -&nbsp;teams they have not defeated at the World Cup since 1992 - while even one loss would put them at the mercy of other results.

Lasith Malinga's four-wicket masterclass in Leeds derailed England's chase against Sri Lanka and Australia outplayed them next to compound their crisis.

"Against Sri Lanka, we're very disappointed with the way we played, we should have got over the line in that game," Buttler said of his team's failure to chase down 233 in that match,'' Buttler said.

"Against Australia, we, unfortunately, did not get the early wickets that we were hoping to and they did get those early wickets. That was big phase of the game and credit to Australia. We got two massive fixtures to come, obviously a huge game on Sunday. Everything is still within our hands, these are stuff we can control and that's what we will be aiming to do," he added.

Buttler's assertion notwithstanding, teammate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bairstows-england-comments-pathetic-says-michael-vaughan-231428">Jonny Bairstow</a> has betrayed signs of pressure as he flayed former players for criticising the team's performance in the last two matches.

Asked if England had surrendered the favourite's tag to India, who remain the tournament's only unbeaten team so far, Buttler said labels were the last thing on their mind.

"I don't think 'favourite' or 'underdog' means too much for us. We know we need to play better, we know we are capable of playing better, and we look forward to the challenge of facing a very strong Indian team," Buttler said.

England are still in control of their destiny at the Cricket World Cup and the mood is pretty good in the camp despite "external pressures", wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler said ahead of Sunday's blockbuster clash against India.

England are still in control of their destiny at the Cricket World Cup and the mood is pretty good in the camp despite "external pressures", wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler said ahead of Sunday's blockbuster clash against India. Eoin Morgan's men entered the tournament as the number one one-day team on a mission to end England's agonising wait for a first 50-overs World Cup title, that too on home soil. Back-to-back defeats by Sri Lanka and Australia have not only cost them their top ODI rankings but also jeopardised their semi-final prospects in their home World Cup. Buttler conceded the team were feeling the pressure but assured they were not panicking. "Mood in the camp is still very good," Buttler told reporters at Edgbaston. "Naturally there are some external pressures. It would be naive to say we got blinkers on and not aware of things going on outside or the pressure of the tournament,'' Buttler said. "We know we didn't perform well enough in the previous two games to be beaten but we still got the opportunity to put that right and the guys turned up with smile on their faces and ready for a big week," Buttler added. The straightforward way to reach the semi-finals will be to beat India and New Zealand - teams they have not defeated at the World Cup since 1992 - while even one loss would put them at the mercy of other results. Lasith Malinga's four-wicket masterclass in Leeds derailed England's chase against Sri Lanka and Australia outplayed them next to compound their crisis. "Against Sri Lanka, we're very disappointed with the way we played, we should have got over the line in that game," Buttler said of his team's failure to chase down 233 in that match,'' Buttler said. "Against Australia, we, unfortunately, did not get the early wickets that we were hoping to and they did get those early wickets. That was big phase of the game and credit to Australia. We got two massive fixtures to come, obviously a huge game on Sunday. Everything is still within our hands, these are stuff we can control and that's what we will be aiming to do," he added. Buttler's assertion notwithstanding, teammate Jonny Bairstow has betrayed signs of pressure as he flayed former players for criticising the team's performance in the last two matches. Asked if England had surrendered the favourite's tag to India, who remain the tournament's only unbeaten team so far, Buttler said labels were the last thing on their mind. "I don't think 'favourite' or 'underdog' means too much for us. We know we need to play better, we know we are capable of playing better, and we look forward to the challenge of facing a very strong Indian team," Buttler said.

World Cup: 'Favourites' tag doesn't bother England ahead of clash against India

India is the only team in Cricket World Cup 2019 to remain unbeaten so far <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-cricket-world-cup-2019-match-34-west-indies-vs-india-230819">after defeating West Indies</a> at Manchester's Old Trafford on Thursday.

Virat Kohli-led side has played a total six matches, won five and one was abandoned.&nbsp;

Australia, already qualified for the semis, have played a total of seven matches, winning six and losing one.&nbsp;

New Zealand won five and lost one out of their seven played contests and England have lost three out of their seven matches.&nbsp;

Bangladesh and Pakistan, both won three out of their seven games. Sri Lanka played six matches winning two.&nbsp;

West Indies, South Africa and Afghanistan have been knocked out from the race of semi-finals.&nbsp;

India's journey so far...&nbsp;

India started their World Cup campaign on a winning note with a six-wicket win over South Africa in Southampton.&nbsp;

After that, India's opener Shikhar Dhawan scored a century (117) to inspire India towards 36-run win over the defending champions Australia.&nbsp;

However, Dhawan's World Cup campaign ended after Australia clash as a Nathan Coulter-Nile's rising delivery injured Dhawan's left thumb.&nbsp;

The injury turned out to be a fracture eventually ruling him out of the tournament. He was replaced by young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant.&nbsp;

After Australia, India's third match against New Zealand was washed out without toss in Nottingham, both teams shared one point each.&nbsp;

'Men in Blue' then locked horns with Pakistan and extended their unblemished World Cup record against their arch-rivals to 7-0 after securing an 89-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis method.&nbsp;

Next, in a last over thriller, India registered an 11-run win over Afghanistan in the 28th match of the tournament in Southampton.&nbsp;

In their fifth match against World Cup minnows Afganistan, India got a &nbsp;reality check when a brilliant bowling display, they restricted India to 224 for eight and Mohammad Nabi had almost pulled off a win, taking the contest to the last over.&nbsp;

But Indian pacer Mohammed Shami struck thrice (grabbed a hat-trick) in the final over to inspire India towards victory.&nbsp;

In their sixth encounter, India defeated West Indies by 125 runs to keep their winning momentum going.&nbsp;

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With that win over West Indies, India have climbed to No. 2️⃣ on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> standings. 
 
Give us your semifinalists: 
 
1. _________ 
2. _________ 
3. _________ 
4. _________<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/a34QdvA4Hw">pic.twitter.com/a34QdvA4Hw</a>
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketworldcup/status/1144290919807692806?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Next, India will play against England (June 30), Bangladesh (July 2) and Sri Lanka (July 6).&nbsp;

India is the only team in Cricket World Cup 2019 to remain unbeaten so far after defeating West Indies at Manchester's Old Trafford on Thursday. Virat Kohli-led side has played a total six matches, won five and one was abandoned.

India is the only team in Cricket World Cup 2019 to remain unbeaten so far after defeating West Indies at Manchester's Old Trafford on Thursday. Virat Kohli-led side has played a total six matches, won five and one was abandoned. Australia, already qualified for the semis, have played a total of seven matches, winning six and losing one. New Zealand won five and lost one out of their seven played contests and England have lost three out of their seven matches. Bangladesh and Pakistan, both won three out of their seven games. Sri Lanka played six matches winning two. West Indies, South Africa and Afghanistan have been knocked out from the race of semi-finals. India's journey so far... India started their World Cup campaign on a winning note with a six-wicket win over South Africa in Southampton. After that, India's opener Shikhar Dhawan scored a century (117) to inspire India towards 36-run win over the defending champions Australia. However, Dhawan's World Cup campaign ended after Australia clash as a Nathan Coulter-Nile's rising delivery injured Dhawan's left thumb. The injury turned out to be a fracture eventually ruling him out of the tournament. He was replaced by young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant. After Australia, India's third match against New Zealand was washed out without toss in Nottingham, both teams shared one point each. 'Men in Blue' then locked horns with Pakistan and extended their unblemished World Cup record against their arch-rivals to 7-0 after securing an 89-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis method. Next, in a last over thriller, India registered an 11-run win over Afghanistan in the 28th match of the tournament in Southampton. In their fifth match against World Cup minnows Afganistan, India got a reality check when a brilliant bowling display, they restricted India to 224 for eight and Mohammad Nabi had almost pulled off a win, taking the contest to the last over. But Indian pacer Mohammed Shami struck thrice (grabbed a hat-trick) in the final over to inspire India towards victory. In their sixth encounter, India defeated West Indies by 125 runs to keep their winning momentum going. With that win over West Indies, India have climbed to No. 2️⃣ on the #CWC19 standings. Give us your semifinalists: 1. _________ 2. _________ 3. _________ 4. _________#WIvIND pic.twitter.com/a34QdvA4Hw — Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 27, 2019 × Next, India will play against England (June 30), Bangladesh (July 2) and Sri Lanka (July 6).

Virat Kohli's Team India currently only unbeaten team in Cricket World Cup 2019

KL Rahul is "disappointed" at not being able to convert his starts but not at all "worried" as he believes that he is doing a lot of things right.

Rahul had scores of 26, 11 not out, 57, 30 and 48 in five completed games and barring the one against Australia where he came in at the fag end of the innings, he has got out after getting set.

"It's a bit disappointing," the talented Karnataka batsman said, accepting that he should have gone on to score a few more runs.&nbsp;I am doing the hard work in getting through the first 10 or 15 overs, or as an opening batsmen, scoring the first 25, 30 runs, which is the hardest. (But then getting out) when the time comes to accelerate and maybe take the game deeper, so a bit disappointed that I have not been able to do that," Rahul lamented.

He will certainly assess and do the course correction but he does not want to brood over what has already done.

"But again I can sit, I will sit and assess, but it won't worry me that much because there are a lot of things I'm doing right, and I know that the mistakes I've made I can learn from them and get better," Rahul said at the post-match press conference after India beat the West Indies by 125 runs on Thursday.

He got out playing a reverse sweep to off-spinner Mohammed Nabi against Afganistan and versus <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-is-legend-of-the-game-we-always-back-him-says-indian-skipper-virat-kohli-231009">West Indies</a>, it was a pitched up delivery from Jason Holder that brought about his downfall.

"Against Afghanistan, I would not say it (reverse sweep) was a bad shot. It was a shot I play all the time. And more often than not I hit it for four, so I get it away. But unfortunately, I did not execute it," Rahul said.

"But the planning and the timing of that shot maybe was questionable because I needed to stitch up a partnership with Virat," he admitted.

"And today (vs <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-india-crush-west-indies-by-125-runs-230985">West Indies</a>), as a batsman, it disappoints you but then again you know bowlers are allowed to bowl good balls. And you do make mistakes. And I can't sit back and break my head about it. I just go on and try to start fresh in Birmingham and try to get a big one," Rahul said.&nbsp;

He was always "ready" to juggle up and down the order, and Shikhar Dhawan's untimely injury did not change much for him.

"I know that Shikhar getting injured was unfortunate. And I had to go to the top of the order. But not that I never prepared for opening the batting. In my head, the last one or two years I have been preparing for whatever might be my role," the 27-year-old right-handed batsman said.

In fact, he is more comfortable opening the batting as that has been his natural slot in all forms of cricket.

"I had to prepare hard for number four because that's not where I batted all my life. I did that. And now to come back to open the batting again, it's just a bit more comfortable and easier for me because I've batted it all my life," Rahul said.

On India's not so impressive batting show in the past two games, Rahul said that both wickets weren't easy for scoring runs.

In fact, he revealed that when he and Rohit were batting, they had sent a message to the dressing room that the wicket was two-paced and 260 was a par-score.

Asked about <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohlis-team-india-currently-only-unbeaten-team-in-cricket-world-cup-2019-230997">Virat Kohli</a> once again looking like a different player compared to all others who struggled, Rahul said it's his special ability to get runs irrespective of the conditions.

"I don't think he's doing anything different. He has been doing the same thing for how long I can remember since the time he started playing cricket, this is what he has been doing, performing consistently," he observed.

"And no matter what condition, what wicket condition, who the bowlers are, he always finds a way to get runs, always finds a way to put the bowlers under pressure," Rahul added.

KL Rahul is "disappointed" at not being able to convert his starts but not at all "worried" as he believes that he is doing a lot of things right. Rahul had scores of 26, 11 not out, 57, 30 and 48 in five completed games and barring the one against Australia where he came in at the fag end of the innings, he has got out after getting set.

KL Rahul is "disappointed" at not being able to convert his starts but not at all "worried" as he believes that he is doing a lot of things right. Rahul had scores of 26, 11 not out, 57, 30 and 48 in five completed games and barring the one against Australia where he came in at the fag end of the innings, he has got out after getting set. "It's a bit disappointing," the talented Karnataka batsman said, accepting that he should have gone on to score a few more runs. I am doing the hard work in getting through the first 10 or 15 overs, or as an opening batsmen, scoring the first 25, 30 runs, which is the hardest. (But then getting out) when the time comes to accelerate and maybe take the game deeper, so a bit disappointed that I have not been able to do that," Rahul lamented. He will certainly assess and do the course correction but he does not want to brood over what has already done. "But again I can sit, I will sit and assess, but it won't worry me that much because there are a lot of things I'm doing right, and I know that the mistakes I've made I can learn from them and get better," Rahul said at the post-match press conference after India beat the West Indies by 125 runs on Thursday. He got out playing a reverse sweep to off-spinner Mohammed Nabi against Afganistan and versus West Indies, it was a pitched up delivery from Jason Holder that brought about his downfall. "Against Afghanistan, I would not say it (reverse sweep) was a bad shot. It was a shot I play all the time. And more often than not I hit it for four, so I get it away. But unfortunately, I did not execute it," Rahul said. "But the planning and the timing of that shot maybe was questionable because I needed to stitch up a partnership with Virat," he admitted. "And today (vs West Indies), as a batsman, it disappoints you but then again you know bowlers are allowed to bowl good balls. And you do make mistakes. And I can't sit back and break my head about it. I just go on and try to start fresh in Birmingham and try to get a big one," Rahul said. He was always "ready" to juggle up and down the order, and Shikhar Dhawan's untimely injury did not change much for him. "I know that Shikhar getting injured was unfortunate. And I had to go to the top of the order. But not that I never prepared for opening the batting. In my head, the last one or two years I have been preparing for whatever might be my role," the 27-year-old right-handed batsman said. In fact, he is more comfortable opening the batting as that has been his natural slot in all forms of cricket. "I had to prepare hard for number four because that's not where I batted all my life. I did that. And now to come back to open the batting again, it's just a bit more comfortable and easier for me because I've batted it all my life," Rahul said. On India's not so impressive batting show in the past two games, Rahul said that both wickets weren't easy for scoring runs. In fact, he revealed that when he and Rohit were batting, they had sent a message to the dressing room that the wicket was two-paced and 260 was a par-score. Asked about Virat Kohli once again looking like a different player compared to all others who struggled, Rahul said it's his special ability to get runs irrespective of the conditions. "I don't think he's doing anything different. He has been doing the same thing for how long I can remember since the time he started playing cricket, this is what he has been doing, performing consistently," he observed. "And no matter what condition, what wicket condition, who the bowlers are, he always finds a way to get runs, always finds a way to put the bowlers under pressure," Rahul added.

World Cup: Disappointed on my conversion rate, says India's KL Rahul after West Indies win

Virat Kohli-led Team India will sport orange jerseys instead of the usual blue in their World Cup clash against England on Sunday at Edgbaston.&nbsp;

The image of the jersey, which is predominantly orange with a tinge of blue, was shared on the official Twitter handle of The Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) two days ahead of the match.&nbsp;

The need for an alternative jersey arose after International Cricket Council issued a guideline before the start of the Word Cup, requiring teams to have two different uniforms for all its televised tournaments except hosts England.

"For televised ICC events all participating teams will be required to provide for two different coloured kits, except for the host country who has a preference in the choice of colour and may, if it chooses to do so, provide only one coloured kit to be worn in all matches throughout the event. In advance of the event the teams will be notified which coloured kit will be worn in each match," the ICC had said in a release.&nbsp;

The concept of multiple jerseys has been inspired from club football in which players choose their colour on a home and away basis.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli-led Team India will sport orange jerseys instead of the usual blue in their World Cup clash against England on Sunday at Edgbaston. The image of the jersey, which is predominantly orange with a tinge of blue, was shared on the official Twitter handle of The Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) two days ahead of the match.

Virat Kohli-led Team India will sport orange jerseys instead of the usual blue in their World Cup clash against England on Sunday at Edgbaston. The image of the jersey, which is predominantly orange with a tinge of blue, was shared on the official Twitter handle of The Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) two days ahead of the match. The need for an alternative jersey arose after International Cricket Council issued a guideline before the start of the Word Cup, requiring teams to have two different uniforms for all its televised tournaments except hosts England. "For televised ICC events all participating teams will be required to provide for two different coloured kits, except for the host country who has a preference in the choice of colour and may, if it chooses to do so, provide only one coloured kit to be worn in all matches throughout the event. In advance of the event the teams will be notified which coloured kit will be worn in each match," the ICC had said in a release. The concept of multiple jerseys has been inspired from club football in which players choose their colour on a home and away basis.

World Cup: Team India's alternate jersey unveiled

World Cup: Fourth week was all about qualification and knockouts

Indian skipper Virat Kohli&nbsp;hailed Mahendra Singh Dhoni as "a legend of the game" after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-cricket-world-cup-2019-match-34-west-indies-vs-india-230819">India's 125-run win over West Indies</a> in Match 34 of Cricket World Cup 2019 on Thursday.&nbsp;

In the post-match presentation, Kohli said, "Dhoni knows exactly what he wants to do in the middle. When he has an off day here and there, everyone starts talking. We always back him. He has won us so many games."

Former Indian skipper Dhoni was criticised for his slow innings during India's World Cup match against Afghanistan in which he scored 28 runs off 52 balls.&nbsp;

In the match against West Indies, Kohli's elegant 72 and Dhoni's laboured 56 not out helped India&nbsp;to a competitive 268/7 at Old Trafford.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-rohit-sharmas-controversial-dismissal-divides-fans-and-spectators-230883">Rohit Sharma's 'controversial' dismissal raises question on third umpire's decision</a>

"The best thing about having someone like him is when you need those 15-20 runs, he knows exactly how to get them. His experience, 8 out of 10 times has come good for us."

"We have quite a few players who play instinctive cricket and follow their game plans. He's such a keen understanding of the game. Always sends us feedback, that you know 260 is a good score."

"He's a legend of the game. We all know that. Just hope he can continue. Last two games, things haven't gone like we thought they would. These haven't been massive scoring games."

"But we've found ways of winning. Intensity has been the standout thing for me. Mindset really matters. Nothing is impossible. We feel we can win from any situation."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-fan-complains-about-sanjay-manjrekars-biased-commentary-writes-to-icc-230799">Fan complains about Sanjay Manjrekar's 'biased' commentary, writes to ICC</a>

Next, India will play against England (June 30), Bangladesh (July 2) and Sri Lanka (July 6).&nbsp;

Indian skipper Virat Kohli hailed Mahendra Singh Dhoni as "a legend of the game" after India's 125-run win over West Indies in Match 34 of Cricket World Cup 2019 on Thursday.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli hailed Mahendra Singh Dhoni as "a legend of the game" after India's 125-run win over West Indies in Match 34 of Cricket World Cup 2019 on Thursday. In the post-match presentation, Kohli said, "Dhoni knows exactly what he wants to do in the middle. When he has an off day here and there, everyone starts talking. We always back him. He has won us so many games." Former Indian skipper Dhoni was criticised for his slow innings during India's World Cup match against Afghanistan in which he scored 28 runs off 52 balls. In the match against West Indies, Kohli's elegant 72 and Dhoni's laboured 56 not out helped India to a competitive 268/7 at Old Trafford. Also read: Rohit Sharma's 'controversial' dismissal raises question on third umpire's decision "The best thing about having someone like him is when you need those 15-20 runs, he knows exactly how to get them. His experience, 8 out of 10 times has come good for us." "We have quite a few players who play instinctive cricket and follow their game plans. He's such a keen understanding of the game. Always sends us feedback, that you know 260 is a good score." "He's a legend of the game. We all know that. Just hope he can continue. Last two games, things haven't gone like we thought they would. These haven't been massive scoring games." "But we've found ways of winning. Intensity has been the standout thing for me. Mindset really matters. Nothing is impossible. We feel we can win from any situation." Also read: Fan complains about Sanjay Manjrekar's 'biased' commentary, writes to ICC Next, India will play against England (June 30), Bangladesh (July 2) and Sri Lanka (July 6).

MS Dhoni is legend of the game, we always back him, says Indian skipper Virat Kohli

Players to watch out for in India vs West Indies World Cup clash

India overwhelmed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-cricket-world-cup-2019-match-34-west-indies-vs-india-230819">West Indies by 125 runs</a> on Thursday to continue their march to the Cricket World Cup semi-finals and send the Caribbean team out of the tournament.

Virat Kohli top-scored with 72 to lay the foundations for India's 268 for seven after electing to bat first at Manchester's Old Trafford.

The Indian bowlers, led by paceman Mohammed Shami, then dismissed West Indies for 143 in 34.2 overs to end the West Indies' hopes of progressing.

India, who have displaced England as the top-ranked one-day team, remain the only unbeaten side in the tournament and need just one victory from their remaining three league games to guarantee a semi-finals berth.

West Indies joined Afghanistan and South Africa as the three teams to bow out of the race for the final four so far.

"We can't complain, we have just become the number one side in the world and we have been playing like that for a while now," said captain and man-of-the-match Kohli.

"Things hadn't gone our way with the bat in the last few games but we have found a way to win."

Shami, who took a hat-trick in the previous game, returned figures of 4-16, removing the dangerous Chris Gayle early after a scratchy innings from the opener.

Kohli record

But it was Kohli who set up the win as he became fastest batsman to reach 20,000 international runs in his 417th innings -- India's Sachin Tendulkar and Caribbean batsman Brian Lara both required 453 international innings to reach the landmark.

Wicketkeeper-batsman M.S. Dhoni and Hardik Pandya boosted the total, putting on 70 runs for the sixth wicket to punish the otherwise-disciplined bowlers.

Pandya hit 46 off 38 balls while Dhoni remained unbeaten on 56, ending the innings with a big six.

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4/40 against Afghanistan and now 4/16 against West Indies – Mohammed Shami has made quite the entry at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIvIND</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/9xPsESV18h">pic.twitter.com/9xPsESV18h</a>
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The West Indies bowlers, led by paceman Kemar Roach, had kept India in check until the latter stages, stemming the flow of runs with regular wickets.

Roach returned impressive figures of 3-36 in his 10 overs, including the wicket of India opener Rohit Sharma for 18.

Kohli, whose 82-ball knock included eight boundaries, extended his fine run of form with some eye-catching shots that charmed a partisan crowd at Old Trafford.

West Indies were in trouble early in their reply when Gayle mistimed a short ball from Shami and was caught by Kedar Jadhav to the left of mid-on after struggling to just six runs off 19 balls.

Shai Hope tried to take the Shami on and hit him for a boundary but the bowler responded by rattling his stumps with the next ball as West Indies slipped to 16-2.

It was all downhill from there for a struggling Caribbean side who failed to maintain momentum after their opening World Cup win against Pakistan.

Paceman Jasprit Bumrah and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took two wickets each.

West Indies captain Jason Holder said: "The bowlers did a fantastic job on this surface. I couldn't ask for more but we let ourselves down with the bat.

"We didn't seize the moment but I would have taken chasing 268. We didn't do it.

"We have let ourselves down significantly in this tournament. The bowlers had a reasonable campaign but our batting has been too inconsistent. This is our weakest format of the three."

Two-time champions India next play hosts England in Birmingham on Sunday.

Match in numbers:

<img alt="Match 34" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dd0926c4-555f-4399-8c82-c8cc74dce4f5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/match%2034_0.jpg" />

&nbsp;

India overwhelmed West Indies by 125 runs on Thursday to continue their march to the Cricket World Cup semi-finals and send the Caribbean team out of the tournament.

India overwhelmed West Indies by 125 runs on Thursday to continue their march to the Cricket World Cup semi-finals and send the Caribbean team out of the tournament. Virat Kohli top-scored with 72 to lay the foundations for India's 268 for seven after electing to bat first at Manchester's Old Trafford. The Indian bowlers, led by paceman Mohammed Shami, then dismissed West Indies for 143 in 34.2 overs to end the West Indies' hopes of progressing. India, who have displaced England as the top-ranked one-day team, remain the only unbeaten side in the tournament and need just one victory from their remaining three league games to guarantee a semi-finals berth. West Indies joined Afghanistan and South Africa as the three teams to bow out of the race for the final four so far. "We can't complain, we have just become the number one side in the world and we have been playing like that for a while now," said captain and man-of-the-match Kohli. "Things hadn't gone our way with the bat in the last few games but we have found a way to win." Shami, who took a hat-trick in the previous game, returned figures of 4-16, removing the dangerous Chris Gayle early after a scratchy innings from the opener. Kohli record But it was Kohli who set up the win as he became fastest batsman to reach 20,000 international runs in his 417th innings -- India's Sachin Tendulkar and Caribbean batsman Brian Lara both required 453 international innings to reach the landmark. Wicketkeeper-batsman M.S. Dhoni and Hardik Pandya boosted the total, putting on 70 runs for the sixth wicket to punish the otherwise-disciplined bowlers. Pandya hit 46 off 38 balls while Dhoni remained unbeaten on 56, ending the innings with a big six. 4/40 against Afghanistan and now 4/16 against West Indies – Mohammed Shami has made quite the entry at #CWC19#WIvIND | #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/9xPsESV18h — Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 27, 2019 × The West Indies bowlers, led by paceman Kemar Roach, had kept India in check until the latter stages, stemming the flow of runs with regular wickets. Roach returned impressive figures of 3-36 in his 10 overs, including the wicket of India opener Rohit Sharma for 18. Kohli, whose 82-ball knock included eight boundaries, extended his fine run of form with some eye-catching shots that charmed a partisan crowd at Old Trafford. West Indies were in trouble early in their reply when Gayle mistimed a short ball from Shami and was caught by Kedar Jadhav to the left of mid-on after struggling to just six runs off 19 balls. Shai Hope tried to take the Shami on and hit him for a boundary but the bowler responded by rattling his stumps with the next ball as West Indies slipped to 16-2. It was all downhill from there for a struggling Caribbean side who failed to maintain momentum after their opening World Cup win against Pakistan. Paceman Jasprit Bumrah and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took two wickets each. West Indies captain Jason Holder said: "The bowlers did a fantastic job on this surface. I couldn't ask for more but we let ourselves down with the bat. "We didn't seize the moment but I would have taken chasing 268. We didn't do it. "We have let ourselves down significantly in this tournament. The bowlers had a reasonable campaign but our batting has been too inconsistent. This is our weakest format of the three." Two-time champions India next play hosts England in Birmingham on Sunday. Match in numbers:

World Cup: India crush West Indies by 125 runs

The June 16 clash between neighbours India and Pakistan attracted 229 million television viewers in India, accounting for over 60 per cent&nbsp;of the screen audience for the first three weeks of the World Cup in the cricket-crazy nation.

The first 27 matches in the 10-team quadrennial tournament, which is being played in England and Wales, attracted 381 million viewers, according to Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) of India.

The Virat Kohli-led side had four matches -- including the washout against New Zealand -- slotted in during that period, drawing a combined total of 321 million viewers.

The rain-hit, stop-start World Cup match at Old Trafford, Manchester, between <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/photos/major-takeaways-from-indias-historic-world-cup-win-over-pakistan-in-manchester-227794&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiEhtWZ5onjAhVFPI8KHfeeC2o4ChAWMAN6BAgPEAE&amp;usg=AOvVaw2oo5kqksH8Jnp6iHIjMKsV">the rivals</a> drew a massive global audience and organisers received nearly 800,000 applications for tickets at the 23,000-capacity stadium.

The broadcaster's live streaming platform Hotstar saw 100 million daily active users during the India-Pakistan match, making it the highest-ever single day reach for the platform.

India and Pakistan have not hosted a cricket series between their countries since 2013.&nbsp;However, the national teams have faced each other in tournaments such as the 2017 Champions Trophy and 2018 Asia Cup held in neutral venues.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-beat-pakistan-by-89-runs-at-world-cup-227784&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiEhtWZ5onjAhVFPI8KHfeeC2o4ChAWMAh6BAgCEAI&amp;usg=AOvVaw0z_q-UOfgT7z195HRRmFmn">India extended their unblemished</a> World Cup record against Pakistan to 7-0 after securing an 89-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis method in the June 16 encounter.

The June 16 clash between neighbours India and Pakistan attracted 229 million television viewers in India, accounting for over 60 per cent of the screen audience for the first three weeks of the World Cup in the cricket-crazy nation.

The June 16 clash between neighbours India and Pakistan attracted 229 million television viewers in India, accounting for over 60 per cent of the screen audience for the first three weeks of the World Cup in the cricket-crazy nation. The first 27 matches in the 10-team quadrennial tournament, which is being played in England and Wales, attracted 381 million viewers, according to Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) of India. The Virat Kohli-led side had four matches -- including the washout against New Zealand -- slotted in during that period, drawing a combined total of 321 million viewers. The rain-hit, stop-start World Cup match at Old Trafford, Manchester, between the rivals drew a massive global audience and organisers received nearly 800,000 applications for tickets at the 23,000-capacity stadium. The broadcaster's live streaming platform Hotstar saw 100 million daily active users during the India-Pakistan match, making it the highest-ever single day reach for the platform. India and Pakistan have not hosted a cricket series between their countries since 2013. However, the national teams have faced each other in tournaments such as the 2017 Champions Trophy and 2018 Asia Cup held in neutral venues. India extended their unblemished World Cup record against Pakistan to 7-0 after securing an 89-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis method in the June 16 encounter.

Pakistan World Cup clash draws 229 million TV viewers in India

Indian skipper Virat Kohli made his 53rd One-day International (ODI) fifty against West Indies in India's sixth match of the 2019 Cricket World Cup in Manchester's Old Trafford.&nbsp;

This was Kohli's fourth back-to-back half-century in the ongoing edition of World Cup.&nbsp;

The right-handed batsman has equalled the record of four consecutive fifty-plus scores in World Cups with India's former cricketers Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sachin Tendulkar.&nbsp;

Cricketer-turned-politician Sidhu achieved this feat in the 1987 World Cup, while Tendulkar did it twice - 1996 and 2003.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-rohit-sharmas-controversial-dismissal-divides-fans-and-spectators-230883">Rohit Sharma's 'controversial' dismissal raises question on third umpire's decision</a>

Virat Kohli hit 82 runs against Australia, 77 runs against Pakistan and made 67 runs against Afghanistan before hitting his fourth consecutive fifty, scoring 72 against West Indies.

Virat achieved another milestone earlier in the match as he <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-skipper-virat-kohli-becomes-fastest-to-cross-20000-international-runs-230874">reached the 20,000-run mark</a> in 417 innings and broke the record of India's Sachin Tendulkar and West Indies' Brian Lara, as the joint holders achieved this feat in 453 innings.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-fan-complains-about-sanjay-manjrekars-biased-commentary-writes-to-icc-230799">Fan complains about Sanjay Manjrekar's 'biased' commentary, writes to ICC</a>

India won the toss against West Indies and chose to bat first. 
 
West Indies will look to register a much-needed win to keep their campaign alive at the World Cup 2019.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli made his 53rd One-day International (ODI) fifty against West Indies in India's sixth match of the 2019 Cricket World Cup in Manchester's Old Trafford.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli made his 53rd One-day International (ODI) fifty against West Indies in India's sixth match of the 2019 Cricket World Cup in Manchester's Old Trafford. This was Kohli's fourth back-to-back half-century in the ongoing edition of World Cup. The right-handed batsman has equalled the record of four consecutive fifty-plus scores in World Cups with India's former cricketers Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sachin Tendulkar. Cricketer-turned-politician Sidhu achieved this feat in the 1987 World Cup, while Tendulkar did it twice - 1996 and 2003. Also read: Rohit Sharma's 'controversial' dismissal raises question on third umpire's decision Virat Kohli hit 82 runs against Australia, 77 runs against Pakistan and made 67 runs against Afghanistan before hitting his fourth consecutive fifty, scoring 72 against West Indies. Virat achieved another milestone earlier in the match as he reached the 20,000-run mark in 417 innings and broke the record of India's Sachin Tendulkar and West Indies' Brian Lara, as the joint holders achieved this feat in 453 innings. Also read: Fan complains about Sanjay Manjrekar's 'biased' commentary, writes to ICC India won the toss against West Indies and chose to bat first. West Indies will look to register a much-needed win to keep their campaign alive at the World Cup 2019.

Virat Kohli equals Navjot Singh Sidhu, Sachin Tendulkar's World Cup record

Indian captain Virat Kohli became the fastest batsman to cross the 20,000 international runs leaving behind legends Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara.

Before going into today's match against West Indies, Virat had scored 19,963 and was just 37 runs away from achieving this feat.&nbsp;

He took a single off Windies' skipper Jason Holder's delivery to reach the massive milestone.&nbsp;

Kohli reached the 20,000-run mark in 417 and broke the record of India's Sachin Tendulkar and West Indies' Brian Lara, as the joint holders achieved this feat in 453 innings.

The 30-year-old has played only 417 innings so far 224 in ODIs, 131 in Tests and 62 in T20Is.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-becomes-fastest-to-reach-11000-runs-mark-227716&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjR34n0xonjAhVDNI8KHewnCm4QFjAAegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0_8QvbooVnwL22jsUyWpIx">Virat Kohli</a> is the third highest run-getter for India, behind Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.

Overall, only 11 batsmen have amassed more than 20,000 international runs.

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Mt. 20k scaled! <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> becomes the quickest batsman to make 20,000 international runs. He is the third Indian after <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sachin_rt</a> and Rahul Dravid to achieve this feat.😎👏🏾 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KingKohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KingKohli</a> <a href="https://t.co/s8mn9sgaap">pic.twitter.com/s8mn9sgaap</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1144204039737040898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The run-machine Kohli is considered a modern-day great by cricketing experts and the pace at which he keeps breaking records is a testament to his ability.&nbsp;

Indian captain Virat Kohli became the fastest batsman to cross the 20,000 international runs leaving behind legends Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara. Before going into today's match against West Indies, Virat had scored 19,963 and was just 37 runs away from achieving this feat.

Indian captain Virat Kohli became the fastest batsman to cross the 20,000 international runs leaving behind legends Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara. Before going into today's match against West Indies, Virat had scored 19,963 and was just 37 runs away from achieving this feat. He took a single off Windies' skipper Jason Holder's delivery to reach the massive milestone. Kohli reached the 20,000-run mark in 417 and broke the record of India's Sachin Tendulkar and West Indies' Brian Lara, as the joint holders achieved this feat in 453 innings. The 30-year-old has played only 417 innings so far 224 in ODIs, 131 in Tests and 62 in T20Is. Virat Kohli is the third highest run-getter for India, behind Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Overall, only 11 batsmen have amassed more than 20,000 international runs. Mt. 20k scaled! @imVkohli becomes the quickest batsman to make 20,000 international runs. He is the third Indian after @sachin_rt and Rahul Dravid to achieve this feat.😎👏🏾 #TeamIndia #CWC19 #KingKohli pic.twitter.com/s8mn9sgaap — BCCI (@BCCI) June 27, 2019 × The run-machine Kohli is considered a modern-day great by cricketing experts and the pace at which he keeps breaking records is a testament to his ability.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli becomes fastest to cross 20,000 international runs

The Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) has been criticised for using word "thump" in one of their tweets while posting India's hard-fought win over Afghanistan on Saturday.&nbsp;

In a last over thriller, India registered an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-mohammed-shami-hat-trick-seals-narrow-india-win-over-afghanistan-229641">11-run win over Afghanistan</a> in the 28th match of Cricket World Cup 2019 in Southampton.&nbsp;

After a brilliant bowling display, Afganistan restricted India to 224 for eight and Mohammad Nabi had almost pulled off a win, taking the contest to the last over.&nbsp;

However, Indian pacer Mohammed Shami struck thrice (grabbed a hat-trick) in the final over&nbsp;to inspire India towards victory.&nbsp;

The official Twitter handle of India's cricket board posted the final result with a captain: "And we march on - #TeamIndia thump Afghanistan by 11 runs".

<img alt="BCCI Tweet" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="87447011-d9cc-4ad0-9d5b-83f2ed5d2a6d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/sports-22.jpg" />

Within seconds, cricket fans&nbsp;noticed the gloating tone of the BCCI tweet and started replying to it.&nbsp;

"Thump? That is hugely disingenuous to a team that pushed you to the last over. Well played Afghanistan and perhaps India can learn how to win graciously," a Twitter user, who goes by the name leebailey, said.

Another user posted, "That's not called "thump". That's called escaping by the skin of their teeth. Well played Afghanistan!"

Two-time world champions India are unbeaten with four wins and a washout from five games as they move closer to a semi-final place.

The Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) has been criticised for using word "thump" in one of their tweets while posting India's hard-fought win over Afghanistan on Saturday.

The Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) has been criticised for using word "thump" in one of their tweets while posting India's hard-fought win over Afghanistan on Saturday. In a last over thriller, India registered an 11-run win over Afghanistan in the 28th match of Cricket World Cup 2019 in Southampton. After a brilliant bowling display, Afganistan restricted India to 224 for eight and Mohammad Nabi had almost pulled off a win, taking the contest to the last over. However, Indian pacer Mohammed Shami struck thrice (grabbed a hat-trick) in the final over to inspire India towards victory. The official Twitter handle of India's cricket board posted the final result with a captain: "And we march on - #TeamIndia thump Afghanistan by 11 runs". Within seconds, cricket fans noticed the gloating tone of the BCCI tweet and started replying to it. "Thump? That is hugely disingenuous to a team that pushed you to the last over. Well played Afghanistan and perhaps India can learn how to win graciously," a Twitter user, who goes by the name leebailey, said. Another user posted, "That's not called "thump". That's called escaping by the skin of their teeth. Well played Afghanistan!" Two-time world champions India are unbeaten with four wins and a washout from five games as they move closer to a semi-final place.

Twitterati criticise BCCI for wrong choice of word to describe India's narrow win over Afghanistan

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