Virat Kohli scored a second straight half-century at the T20 World Cup as India beat the Netherlands by 56 runs on Thursday.
Kohli scored 62 not out off 44 balls to guide his team to 179-2 after India chose to bat first. Rohit Sharma scored 53 while Suryakumar Yadav hit 51 not out off 25 balls and shared an important partnership with Kohli which accelerated the innings.
In reply, the Netherlands couldn’t last against a quality Indian attack and finished at 123-9.
Earlier, Lokesh Rahul (9) fell cheaply for the second game running.
Kohli and Sharma then put on 73 runs off 56 balls for the second wicket. Sharma hit four fours and three sixes, bringing up his half-century off 35 balls. He was caught in the 12th over.
India was at 84-2 and still only scoring at seven per over. Kohli and Yadav then put on 95 runs off 48 balls. Yadav hit seven fours and a six, the latter bringing up his half-century off the last ball of the Indian innings.
Kohli’s half-century had come off 37 balls, including three fours and two sixes. India’s final acceleration put the game beyond its opponents’ reach.
Indian spinners strangled the Netherlands’ chase. Axar Patel recovered from a mauling against Pakistan and took 2-18 in four overs. It was in that game that Kohli scored a match-winning 82 not out off 53 balls.
Ravichandran Ashwin had 2-21 against the Netherlands. He dismissed Colin Ackermann (17) and Tom Cooper (9) in the same over.
Tim Pringle was the top Dutch scorer with 20 off 15 but the result was never in doubt against an impressive display by the Indian bowlers. Bhuvneshwar Kumar had economical figures of 2-9 in three overs. Arshdeep Singh took 2-37 while Mohammed Shami finished with 1-27.
India moved to the top of Group 2 with four points from consecutive wins over Pakistan and the Netherlands.
South Africa is second after it beat Bangladesh by 104 runs in the first of three games on Thursday.
Rilee Rossouw posted the first century of the tournament, plundering 109 from 56 deliveries.
After brief concerns about rain, South Africa batted first and posted 205-5. Rossouw and Quinton de Kock put on 163 runs off 81 balls for the second wicket for the highest South African partnership ever at the tournament.
De Kock scored 50 off 33 balls and was eventually out for 63 off 38 balls, including seven fours and three sixes.
The Proteas then skittled Bangladesh for 101 with Anrich Nortje picking up four wickets.
“Clinical in terms of performance,” South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said. “The batting lineup has shaped up quite nicely.”
In the third Group 2 game of the day, Zimbabwe won the toss against Pakistan in Perth and opted to bat.
Pakistan is in need of its first win after losing to India in a nerve-wracking contest at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Zimbabwe has one point after its first game against South Africa in Hobart was washed out.