India into semis after crushing win

A sterling century from Rohit Sharma powered India into next week's Cricket World Cup semi-final at the SCG, where they will meet either Australia or Pakistan.

Sharma's knock of 137 lifted the defending champions to a total of 6-302 in Thursday's quarter-final against Bangladesh at the MCG.

No side has successfully chased down more than 295 in a one-day international at the venue.

Mahmudullah, having scored 344 runs in the pool stage - more than any Indian batsman - was the underdogs' best hope of setting a new mark in front of a crowd of 51,552.

But the right-hander was out pulling in the 17th over, with Shikhar Dhawan successfully juggling a catch on the rope to reduce Bangladesh to 3-73.

The Tigers were never in the contest from that point on, eventually falling to a 109-run loss when they were rolled for 193 after 45 overs.

It didn't look quite so easy for MS Dhoni's men when they crumbled to 3-115, with Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane back in the sheds.

Rubel Hossain and Virat Kohli reacquainted themselves at the MCG

However, Sharma formed a 122-run stand with Suresh Raina to steady India's cause.

"It was important for me to stay ... we just wanted to take our time and play our game," Sharma said.

The opener kept the scoreboard ticking over with ones and twos then lashed out late in a masterful maiden World Cup ton, while Raina found the rope with ease in a quickfire 65.

Both men also enjoyed fortunate reprieves.

Raina looked to be trapped plumb lbw by Mashrafe Mortaza in the 34th over, when he was on 10.

Captain Mashrafe referred the not-out verdict and the footage looked supportive, but ball-tracking technology suggested it pitched a whisker outside leg stump.

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Indian fans celebrate the Rohit-Raina partnership // Getty

Mashrafe was bewildered, but that was nothing compared to his disbelief that followed Sharma's let-off on 90.

Sharma smacked a full toss from Rubel Hossain to a fielder in the deep, but the paceman was no-balled due to the height of his delivery.

"Bad decision from (umpire Ian) Gould, was definitely not above the waist. Lucky break for Rohit," Indian legend VVS Laxman posted on Twitter.

India took 147 runs off the final 15 overs thanks to some powerful strokes from Raina and Sharma, plus some sloppy fielding.

There was no shortage of feeling in the knockout fixture, with Rubel's send-off of Kohli particularly spirited.

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Rubel Hossain gives Virat Kohli a send-off // Getty

Dhoni, who won the toss, needed the third umpire to comfirm he had caught Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal for 25, the first wicket to fall in the run chase.

Replays confirmed the catch carried to Dhoni, who also claimed a spectacular one-hander to remove Soumya Sarkar.

Openers Iqbal and Imrul Kayes both fell in a calamitous seventh over that proved the beginning of the end of Bangladesh's Cup campaign.

Kayes was run out for five after a terrible mix-up with Sarkar.

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Yadav celebrates as Kayes is run out // Getty

"I think it will be right up there," man of the match Sharma said, when asked how the knock ranked among his career highlights.

"We just need to take this momentum into the semi-finals ... we have two more games to go."

Mashrafe took a glass half-full view of the defeat.

"Most of our players are just starting their international careers and they should be very happy with their efforts," Mashrafe said.

India
Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Ravi Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav

Bangladesh
Tamin Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah, Shakib ul Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nasir Hossain, Mashrafe Mortaza, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed