India lift net run-rate above New Zealand and Afghanistan, their rivals for a semi-final place in Group 2, after hammering Scotland in Dubai; Virat Kohli's side skittle Scotland for just 85 before KL Rahul's 18-ball fifty takes India to their target with 81 balls to spare
Saturday 6 November 2021 08:56, UK
India's hopes of qualifying for the T20 World Cup semi-finals are still alive after Virat Kohli's men trounced Scotland by eight wickets with 81 balls to spare in Dubai.
India needed to win, and by a decent margin, to maintain their chances of finishing ahead of New Zealand and Afghanistan in Group 2, and they put in a ruthless display on their captain's 33rd birthday.
Kohli's side razed Scotland for just 85 in 17.4 overs as Ravindra Jadeja (3-15), Mohammed Shami (3-15) and Jasprit Bumrah (2-10) excelled, before KL Rahul (50 off 19) blazed an 18-ball fifty, featuring three sixes and six fours, as India raced home in the seventh over.
The thumping victory lifted India's net run-rate above that of both New Zealand and Afghanistan, who meet in Abu Dhabi on Sunday before India close out the group stage against Namibia in Dubai on Monday.
If New Zealand beat Afghanistan, India will be knocked out but an Afghanistan victory would keep India in the mix, with the 2007 champions still able to finish second in the pool if they beat Namibia by a big enough margin to leapfrog Afghanistan on net run-rate.
India began the tournament with heavy losses to Pakistan and New Zealand, by 10 and eight wickets respectively, but have since dished out big beatings, winning by 66 runs against Afghanistan and smashing Scotland.
Kohli's bowlers were clinical against Scotland, with Jadeja bowling Richie Berrington (0) and trapping Matthew Cross (2) lbw in the seventh over before pinning Michael Leask (21 off 12) lbw in the 12th.
Shami followed his dismissal of Scotland top-scorer George Munsey (24 off 19) in the sixth over, with two wickets in three balls in the 17th as he cleaned up Calum MacLeod (16) and Alasdair Evans (0) with yorkers.
The 17th over actually saw three wickets in three balls, with Shami's scalps sandwiching the run out of Safyaan Sharif, as Scotland limped to 81-9 before being all out four runs later as Bumrah (2-10) bowled Mark Watt (14).
Bumrah had earlier castled Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer (1) in the third over - after Coetzer's opening partner Munsey had whipped the same bowler for a superb six over square leg in the first.
Munsey played an enterprising knock, also striking three fours off Ravichandran Ashwin (1-29) in the fourth over, including back-to-back reverse sweeps, before he drilled Shami low to Hardik Pandya at mid-on.
Rahul and Rohit Sharma (30 off 16) also fired up top as India sprinted to their tiny target, the duo plundering a combined 15 boundaries to help India to the highest powerplay score in the tournament of 82-2.
Rohit was lbw to Brad Wheal at the end of the fifth over, while Rahul was caught in the deep off Watt at the end of the sixth, leaving Suryakumar Yadav (6no off 2) to drill the match-winning six off Chris Greaves.
Kohli was unbeaten on two at the other end and can now celebrate his birthday - and the fact that his side have a real chance of making the last four, which looked a distant goal less than a week ago.
Ravindra Jadeja - the India man is a triple threat, able to change games with bat, ball or in the field. It was with the ball that he shredded Scotland, bowling Berrington on his outside edge and removing Cross lbw after beating the inside edge to reduce the Saltires to 29-4. Jadeja trapped a sweeping Leask lbw before he was finished, leaving Scotland 58-5.
Mohammed Shami - if Jadeja's spin ripped Scotland open, then Shami's pace bowling finished them off. He smashed the stumps of both MacLeod and Evans in the 17th over with pinpoint yorkers, having earlier been the man to cut off Munsey's promising innings.
KL Rahul - Rahul has elegance in spades and although he prioritised quick rather than beautiful runs against Scotland, there was no shortage of eye-catching strokes, over mid-on, over fine leg, over the covers, over deep square leg, as nine of the 19 balls he faced went for either four or six.
Group 1 comes to a conclusion on Saturday, a day on which two of England (eight points), Australia (six points) and South Africa (six points) will secure places in next week's semi-finals.
England are all but qualified having won four from four and it will take the heaviest of defeats against South Africa for Eoin Morgan's side to slip out of the top two, such is the strength of their net run-rate. If Australia lose to West Indies earlier in the day, England will qualify regardless.
Victory for Australia over West Indies (9.30am, Sky Sports Cricket) would mean South Africa would need to beat England (1.30pm, Sky Sports Cricket) and lift their net run-rate above Australia's to make the top two.
If Australia are beaten and South Africa win, the Proteas will go through, while if both teams lose it it will come down to net run-rate, with Australia's superior at this stage. I hope you have got all that!
The T20 World Cup continues live on Sky Sports Cricket from 9.30am on Saturday. Watch Australia vs West Indies in Abu Dhabi followed by England vs South Africa in Sharjah.
