Yadav helps India set up England semi-final

MELBOURNE: Suryakumar Yadav hit a blazing unbeaten 61 as a proud India set up a Twenty20 World Cup semi-final against England by crushing Zimbabwe by 71 runs at a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

India were flying at 87-1 but the loss of three quick wickets slowed them down before Yadav set the proceedings alight, smashing six sixes in his 25-ball blitz to steer them to 186-5, with 79 coming off the last five overs.

Zimbabwe lost two wickets for two runs in reply and were never in the hunt, capitulating in the 17th over in front of 82,507 fans. Ravichandran Ashwin took 3-22 for a rampant India.

"A very good all-round performance, something we were looking for. We had qualified but we wanted to come out and play the way we wanted to play, which we achieved," said skipper Rohit Sharma.

"What Sky (Yadav) is doing for the team is remarkable, just coming out there, playing that way, taking the pressure off the others."

The number one-ranked Indians, the 2007 champions, were already through to the semi-finals after the Netherlands upset South Africa earlier in the day.

Victory over Zimbabwe confirmed their position at the top of Group 2 to tee up a last-four clash with Jos Buttler´s England, who finished second in Group 1. The two sides face off at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.

Group 1 winners New Zealand will play Group 2 runners-up Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground a day earlier.

Score Board

India won the toss

India Innings

Rahul c Masakadza b Raza 51

Sharma c Masakadza b Muzarabani 15

Kohli c Burl b Williams 26

Yadav not out 61

Pant c Burl b Williams 3

Pandya c Muzarabani b Ngarava 18

Patel not out 0

Extras: (lb5, nb1, w6) 12

Total: (5 wickets 20 overs) 186

Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Sharma), 2-87 (Kohli), 3-95 (Rahul), 4-101 (Pant),

5-166 (Pandya)

Bowling: Ngarava 4-1-44-1, Chatara 4-0-34-0, Muzarabani 4-0-50-1, Masakadza 2-0-12-0, Burl 1-0-14-0, Raza 3-0-18-1, Williams 2-0-9-0

Zimbabwe Innings

Madhevere c Kohli b Kumar 0

Ervine c & b Pandya 13

Chakabva b Singh 0

Williams c Kumar b Shami 11

Raza c Yadav b Pandya 34

Munyonga lbw Shami 5

Burl b Ashwin 35

Masakadza c Sharma b Ashwin 1

Ngarava b Ashwin 1

Chatara c & b Patel 4

Muzarabani nout out 0

Extras: (lb3, nb1, w7) 11

Total: (10 wickets, 17.2 ov) 115

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Madhevere), 2-2 (Chakabva), 3-28 (Williams), 4-31 (Ervine), 5-36 (Munyonga), 6-96 (Burl), 7-104 (Masakadaza), 8-106 (Hgarava), 9-111, 10-115 (Chatara)

Bowling: Kumar 3-1-11-1, Singh 2-0-9-1, Shami 2-0-14-2, Pandya 3-0-16-2, Ashwin 4-0-22-3, Patel 3.2-0-40-1

Result: India won by 71 runs

Man of the match: Suryakumar Yadav

Umpires: Kettleborough, Tucker