India keep finals hopes alive with thumping win

India have kept alive their slim chances of making the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup with a thumping eight-wicket victory over Scotland in their Super 12 Group 2 match.

Virat Kohli elected to field on Friday after winning his first toss of the tournament and had his decision vindicated when the 2007 champions bundled out Scotland for just 85 in 17.4 overs at the Dubai International Stadium.

India then chased down the paltry target in just 6.3 overs for their second win in four matches, also boosting their net run-rate as KL Rahul led the charge by smashing a half-century off just 18 balls before being dismissed off the next delivery he faced.

India's last group game on Monday is against Namibia, but their semi-finals chances will be killed off if New Zealand beat Afghanistan on Sunday to advance.

India need Afghanistan to beat New Zealand and then record a win by themselves over Namibia by a big enough margin to finish in second spot on net run rate

"We're glad to be back in our mojo," India captain Virat Kohli said.

"We spoke about (conceding to Scotland) 100, 120 max but we restricted them to a total that allowed us to leapfrog everyone else (on net run rate)."

The rout was started and finished by Jasprit Bumrah, who bowled captain Kyle Coetzer in a wicket-maiden third over, and also bowled Mark Watt to end Scotland's innings and become India's leading wicket-taker in T20s, eclipsing Yuzvendra Chahal's 63.

Coetzer's opening partner, George Munsey, hit three consecutive boundaries in Ravichandran Ashwin's first over but went for 24 after mistiming Mohammed Shami and falling to a diving catch by Hardik Pandya.

Ravindra Jadeja took the next three wickets to reduce Scotland to 5-58 in the 12th over.

Bumrah finished 2-10 and Jadeja and Shami 3-15 apiece.

India knew they could better the net run rate of their immediate group rivals if they reached their target within 7.1 overs.

Openers Rahul and Rohit Sharma made it look easy.

Rahul hit three boundaries off Brad Wheal in the second over and Sharma asked for a new bat midway through the fourth over after hitting three boundaries and a six over midwicket.

Their partnership of 70 in five overs ended when Rohit was lbw to Wheal after powering to 30 off 16.

Needing only four runs to win, Rahul was finally caught at long on for 50 after smashing six fours and three sixes.

"We were outclassed in every department," Scotland's captain Coetzer said.

"But the only way we'll improve is going through games like that and seeing it head on."

2021 Men's T20 World Cup

Click here for the full 2021 ICC T20 World Cup schedule

All matches live and exclusive on Fox Cricket, available on Kayo Sports.

Click here for the full squads for all 16 teams

How the teams are grouped

Round 1

Group A: Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands, Namibia

Group B: Bangladesh, Scotland, Papua New Guinea, Oman

Super 12s

Group 1: England, Australia, South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh

Group 2: India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Scotland, Namibia