T20 World Cup 2022: Suryakumar Yadav scoops Zimbabwe out of sight to set up India's semi-final date with England 

Suryakumar Yadav’s electric half-century followed by a concerted bowling effort helped India wallop Zimbabwe by a massive 71 runs in the last group game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday.

Having already qualified, the win took India to eight points and the top of Group 2. The Men in Blue will take on England, who finished second in the other pool, in the second semi-final at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday. In the first knockout, New Zealand will play Pakistan in Sydney the day before.

The match was meant to be a formality for the Indian team. Rohit Sharma won the toss and made his intentions clear. But the developments had an uncanny semblance to their last outing against Bangladesh. Skipper Rohit was again out cheaply. KL Rahul recorded back-to-back fifties. But this time, Surya, and not Virat Kohli, was the proprietor of India’s imposing total of 186 for five.

Chasing a consolation victory, Zimbabwe never looked like making India toil. Barring a brief period when Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl strung together 60 runs for the sixth wicket, India ran through the Chevrons to dismiss them for 115 with 16 balls to spare.

India were again off to a circumspect start, with openers Rohit and KL Rahul taking only calculative risks. But the skipper once again threw his wicket away and it was the short ball that once again brought about his downfall.

After hitting a crisp drive and a square cut, the 35-year-old took on Blessing Muzarabani’s bouncer and found the lone fielder on the leg side. Wellington Masakadza at deep square was placed exactly for this shot, and Rohit (15 off 13) had no one but himself to blame.

It was as if 80,000 people had gathered for Virat Kohli’s late birthday celebration. And he flicked his first ball for a boundary to indicate that the party will go on for long. The timing was spot on, the footwork had a sense of assurance, and there was unbridled energy to run the doubles. As Kohli injected momentum, Rahul also started finding the middle of his bat.

Once on 20 off 17, Rahul took off as captain Craig Ervine unfurled a four-pronged spin attack. He took a particular liking for leg spinner Ryan Burl, hitting him for a six followed by a boundary in a 14-run first over. Kohli was back to doing what he does best, rotate the strike, as India raced to 79 for one at the halfway mark.

But the drinks break, as it so often is the case, was followed by wickets. Both the set batters, along with Rishabh Pant – who was playing his game of this tournament – went back to the pavilion. Virat Kohli (26 off 25) and Pant (3 off 4) was consumed by left-arm orthodox Sean Williams, as Burl more than made up for his costly over by grabbing both the chances. The second catch, diving to his left at long on, was a thing of beauty.

KL Rahul (51 off 35), on the other hand, tried to hit a second successive six off Sikandar Raza and was caught at long off. In the Bangladesh game as well, the opener was out the very next ball after completing his half-century.

Rohit mentioned at the toss that the batters would look to be more adventurous and give the bowlers a big target to defend. The manner of the dismissals was thus along expected lines. The spin force pulled things back as India managed to score under a run-a-ball in the next five overs.

But as the fast bowlers were brought back into the attack, there was an upswing in India’s graph too. Suryakumar Yadav was removed early against Pakistan. And he wouldn’t let go of another night at the iconic MCG.

He raced to 37 off 18 deliveries as runs started coming thick and fast behind square on the leg side. It was poor captaincy and one-dimensional bowling from Zimbabwe as well. The quicks had a plan to hit the blockhole and they stuck to it despite leaking runs like a tilted oil container.

Surya, who completed 1000 T20Is runs this year, would crouch and convert all the yorkers into low-full tosses. Even those way outside the off stump were picked up and deposited over fine leg. The 32-year-old was equally proficient if the bowler missed his length. The lofted six over extra cover, off the final ball of the 18th over, was like an arrow destined for 10 points.

Ervine had his field in place for the wide yorkers, but he discounted SKY’s percentage shots. And inexplicably, he didn’t change anything up until the very last. Hardik Pandya (18 off 17), meanwhile, once gain played an insipid knock. But it didn’t matter.

Surya’s 61* off 25 balls – laced with six boundaries and four maximums – ensured 79 runs came off the final five overs. India reached their highest total of this edition – a daunting 186 for five.

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Ravichandran Ashwin stars with the ball as India make light work of defending

Ryan Burl gets castled by Ravichandran Ashwin to end Zimbabwe hopes

If India played out a maiden first up, Zimbabwe went one up and conceded a wicket maiden. Virat Kohli, standing at cover, dived low to his right to dismiss Wesley Madhevere for a golden duck. Arshdeep Singh also made good use of the new ball, castling Regis Chakabva for a six-ball nought.

Sean Williams, the main enforcer with the ball, had an equally torrid time with the willow. Barring a top-edged six, the left-hander struggled to put bat to ball. Mohammad Shami, though, ended his misery as Zimbabwe crippled to 28 for three at the end of the powerplay.

It was like a procession with each over guaranteeing a wicket. While Hardik bend his back and got balls to rise to the batters’ throat, Shami (2 for 14) relied on the pitch to do justice to his exquisite seam presentation.

At 36 for five, Ryan Burl and Sikandar Raza tried their best to delay the inevitable. The left-handed Burl, in particular, took the attack to India’s spin twins – Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel. He employed the reverse-sweep to great effect, as the duo put on 60 runs off 35 balls.

But the floodgates once again opened as Ashwin went through Burl’s (35 off 22) defence. The veteran off-spinner scalped two more wickets to log impressive figures of three for 22 - his best tally in this competition.

What would please the team management the most was that India bowled out an opposition for the first time in this Super 12. Additionally, every single member contributed to the win. After Hardik (2 for 16) ended Raza's (34 off 24) vigil, Axar Patel - who had a nightmarish outing the last time India played a game at the MCG - removed Tendai Chatara to bundle Zimbabwe out for a paltry 115.

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