Bangladesh v India: India set up dream Champions Trophy final v Pakistan

Match scores (Edgbaston) 

India beat Bangladesh by nine wickets

Bangladesh: 264-7 (50/50 overs. Tamim Iqbal 70, Mushfiqur Rahim 61; Jadhav 2-22, Bumrah 2-39, Kumar 2-53)
India: 265-1 (40.1/50 overs. Sharma 123*, Kohli 96*; Mashrafe Mortaza 1-29)

Match report 

India surged into a second successive Champions Trophy final after proving Bangladesh's nemesis at a global event once again.

Having ended Bangladesh's campaigns at the most recent World Cup and World Twenty20, India made it a hat-trick of triumphs in emphatic fashion in front of 24,340 fans - a one-day international record at Edgbaston - to set up a mouthwatering final showdown with fierce rivals Pakistan on Sunday.

Rohit Sharma's flawless unbeaten 123 and Virat Kohli's 96 not out in an unbroken 178-run stand ensured Bangladesh's 264 for seven was never likely to trouble the defending champions, who cruised to a nine-wicket victory with 59 balls to spare.

They had an unlikely bowling hero in Kedar Jadhav, who took the wickets of dangermen Tamim Iqbal (70) and Mushfiqur Rahim (61) after the pair had put on a 123-run stand from 127 balls for the third wicket to leave India under considerable pressure.

Bangladesh, playing their first ICC semi-final and arguably the most important match in their history, were left to rue an inability to build on that platform - although they did fare significantly better than last month's practice match, when they were bowled out by India for 84.

They can at least hold their heads high after reaching the knockout stages courtesy of a dramatic win over New Zealand last week although they were big underdogs against India, who had seen off Pakistan and South Africa to reach the last four.

It was India who made an encouraging start after winning the toss and electing to field as Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled Soumya Sarkar in his first over and had a frenetic Sabbir Rahman caught at point before Bangladesh were given a major let-off when Tamim chopped on to his stumps off a Hardik Pandya no-ball.

Up until then, Tamim had limped to 17 off 39 balls but seemed galvanised thereafter as he dispatched the free hit for four down the ground before launching the same bowler over deep midwicket for a brutal six en route to his 62-ball half-century - the fourth time he had passed 50 in his last five ODI innings.

Mushfiqur was proving more adept at manoeuvring the ball into the gaps as he too recorded a half-century, and it seemed Kohli was clutching at straws when he turned to Jadhav at the midway point.

But the part-timer, with only six ODI wickets to his name, stifled the set batsmen and while his round-arm spin appeared unthreatening, the pressure told on Tamim, who was bowled after an ugly swipe across the line.

Ravindra Jadeja did his part at the other end by having Shakib Al Hasan caught behind before Jadhav took out Mushfiqur, who attempted to cast off the shackles but clubbed a low full toss straight to Kohli at midwicket as Bangladesh slid from 154 for two 179 for five.

It was a position the Tigers could not recover from as India continued to contain, with the impressive Jasprit Bumrah taking a couple of wickets, and even though skipper Mashrafe Mortaza (30) gave them some late impetus they needed a star performance from their bowlers.

Mashrafe kept Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit in check at his end but the Indian pair were finding the boundary rope with alarming regularity at the other.

The prolific Dhawan seemed in no mood to hang around as he moved past 300 runs for the tournament but took one risk too many, falling for 46 after coming down the pitch and miscuing Mashrafe to Mosaddek Hossain at point.

Kohli was predictably welcomed to the crease with a cacophony of noise and was watchful early on.

The world's number one ODI batsman warmed to his task with fours either side of the wicket off the expensive Mustafizur Rahman while his impeccable timing guaranteed he did not have to play a shot in anger in a superb 42-ball half-century.

He continued to delight the crowd with fluent drives and Rohit was proving just as irresistible on the eye, although he moved to three figures with a slightly fortuitous top edge for six, the streakiest of his 13 boundaries.

A century eluded Kohli but he had the consolations of passing 8,000 ODI runs and hitting the winning runs, crunching Sabbir for four off the first ball of the 41st over.

Match Reaction

Virat Kohli 

On Kedar Jadhav: "He bowled really well, credit to him. He doesn't bowl much in the nets, but he's a smart cricketer.

"He knows where the batsmen get into trouble, and if you can think like a batter when you're bowling, it's obviously a bit of an advantage to any bowler.

"Wickets were honestly a bonus, With one left-hander batting, we knew that he had the ability to get in two, three dot balls to the left-hander every over. But it ended up changing the whole game for us."

On an in-form top three: "I'm really enjoying the way I'm batting. For me the number of runs do not matter at this stage. I'm really enjoying the process. 

"The way Rohit and Shikhar batted, it just gave me so much confidence heading out of the changing room. Those two guys really dent the opposition mentally."

On final opponents Pakistan: "The turnaround has been magnificent. Obviously if you reach the final you have to play some good cricket and credit to them, they've turned around things for themselves really well. They've beaten sides that looked really strong against them

"What we are going to try to do is repeat the similar sort of cricket that we have played so far, knowing the strengths and weaknesses they have. Obviously we'll have to plan a bit according to that, but I don't know there's much that we need to change as a team."

Mashrafe Mortaza

On losing key wickets at the wrong time: "I think we could have had a big total, but when Tamim and Mushfiqur got out to a part-timer, it's always difficult. That time we had been in the top.

"It could have easily been 330 or 340 but suddenly the wickets fell from there. After that it was difficult to score 300.

"I know they might have thought 'this is part-time' but they have to go after him.

"That sort of thing is maybe working in their minds."

On building for the future after a first major semi-final: "Obviously the boys should feel pride but we are coming up still and we need to learn so many things. We've got to be a little bit more ready to mentally to playing this sort of match.

"I know next time I think the boys will learn."