On a day of drama in Group Two, Rohit Sharma's side ensured there was no such panic at the MCG
Melbourne: India 186-5, Zimbabwe 115 - India win by 71 runs
India sealed top spot in Group Two by comfortably beating Zimbabwe in front of a packed crowd at the MCG, setting up a semi-final date with England.
Rohit Sharma's side will face Jos Buttler's charges at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday after India held up their side of the bargain on a mad day's cricket, which saw South Africa eliminated by the Netherlands and Pakistan take full advantage to sneak an unlikely reprieve.
There was no such shock in Melbourne, where Suryakumar Yadav continued to justify the claims of those who consider him the world's best player in this format.
Zimbabwe, who have been far better in this tournament than their wooden spoon suggests, had competed well to have India four wickets down in the 14th over, but Yadav caught fire thereafter, somehow sweeping wide yorkers over backward square leg for six and playing another quite extraordinary stroke, where he managed to tangle himself up and still divert the ball over wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva and into the stands.
He finished unbeaten on 61 from just 25 deliveries, taking an otherwise stuttering batting effort to a final total of 186 for 5 after KL Rahul had done the early legwork in making 51. He was dismissed just three balls after Virat Kohli, both holing out to long-off against spinners Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams, respectively.
Suryakumar Yadav lit up the MCG (Martin Keep/AFP via Getty Images)
Rishabh Pant, recalled at Dinesh Karthik's expense, was also well caught – by Ryan Burl diving to his left at long-on – while Hardik Pandya's run-a-ball 18 was a struggle ultimately ended in the final over.
Zimbabwe's seamers, so good through this tournament, endured their first proper off-night: Blessing Muzarabani had Rohit Sharma caught on the hook but his four overs cost 50 runs, while Richard Ngarava conceded 44.
In reply, a tall order became taller immediately when Wessly Madhevere chipped the first ball of Zimbabwe's innings to Kohli at short cover, with Chakabva put out of his misery in the second over, bowled by an Arshdeep Singh inswinger as he failed to come to terms with the early movement through the air.
And when Williams sliced to third man off the final ball of the powerplay, Zimbabwe could well have been routed, with captain Craig Ervine offering up a simple return catch to Pandya in the next over and Tony Munyonga trapped in front by Mohammed Shami five balls later.
But under Dave Houghton, Zimbabwe have become a far tougher nut to crack, and they launched a fine counterattack – even with the game all but gone – through Raza (34) and Burl (35), the latter of whom played one of the shots of the tournament in reverse-sweeping Axar Patel 80 metres for six over backward point.
They added 60 runs in 5.5 overs before Burl was bowled by Ravichandran Ashwin. Raza was caught in the deep shortly afterwards and the innings subsided, with Zimbabwe rolled for 155 with 17 balls remaining.
Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.