India proved to be the first team to enter the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 semifinals with a impressively complete eight-wicket victory over West Indies on Tuesday following a second consecutive ODI century from Shikhar Dhawan and Ravindra Jadeja. The Indians first confined the Caribbeans to 233 for nine as Ravindra Jadeja (5/36) vigorously moved through through the middle-order since because Dhawan yet again took centrestage with overpowered strokeplay to give India its second victory in as many matches in group B.
The 27-year-old Delhi boy, who made a dramatically daring Test debut against Australia with a knock of 187, had scored a match-winning 114 against South Africa in the tournament opener.
The fashionable standard left-hander yet again crackled at the Oval as his undefeated drive of 102 helped the 'Men In Blue' chase down a target with 65 balls extra. Dhawan violently crashed 10 fours and a six in the process. The three-figure mark was achieved with a slashed six off Dwayne Bravo over backward point and then played dot balls to allow his partner Dinesh Karthik (50 no) to complete his well-deserved half-century.
Dhawan known to be enjoying a golden moment in international cricket as his three violent crash since comeback into Indian team has been centuries (187, 114, 102 no). India thus made it to the last four of the Champions Trophy after a gap of 11 years with the last time being way back in 2002. The opening pair is turning out to be a harmful hit in the tournament as yet again Dhawan along with Rohit Sharma added 101 in only 15.3 overs to lay the foundation of a comfortable victory. Rohit seems to be taking great pleasure in the role of an opener while once again scoring a half-century and his spectacular 52 came off 56 balls with seven boundaries. While Virat Kohli (22) couldn't cash in, Karthik who violently smashed violently eight boundaries in his 54-ball crash proved to be an able league due to the fact that they added 109 runs for the undefeated 3rd wicket stand in 19.1 overs.
India would be playing against Pakistan in Birmingham on June 15.
That was a fantabulous thrill experienced!
(AW:Samrat Biswas)
