Rohit Sharma believes Suryakumar Yadav is getting better and better as the India captain hailed his team-mate's form as "remarkable".

Yadav scored an unbeaten 61 from just 25 deliveries on Sunday against Zimbabwe to help seal a 71-run victory, sealing India's progression to the T20 World Cup semi-finals as Group 2 winners.

India will now face England, who edged out Sri Lanka on Saturday to progress into the last four at the expense of hosts Australia, for a place in the final.

Yadav has been in fine form throughout the tournament. The 32-year-old has scored 225 runs across his five innings, while his knock at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday included 10 boundaries, with four of those beating the rope entirely. 

"What Suryakumar is doing for the team is remarkable, just coming out there, playing that way, taking the pressure off the others," Rohit said.

"We know his ability, and it allows the guy at the other end to take his time.

"The dugout can really be at ease when he bats, and he's shown a lot of composure when he's batted. We expected this from him, and he's gone from strength to strength."

Despite being pleased with India's display against Zimbabwe, Rohit is looking for a step up in their level against England in Adelaide.

"[It was] a very good all-round performance, [which was] something we were looking for," Rohit said.

"We had qualified, but we wanted to come out and play the way we wanted to play, which we achieved.

"We have played a game there, but we need to adjust quickly. England are a good team, and it will be a great contest.

"We should take pride in qualifying, firstly, and if we play that semi-final well, we have another big game as well."

Suryakumar Yadav's unbeaten half-century saw India top Group 2 at the T20 World Cup as they set up a semi-final clash with England following a comfortable 71-run victory over Zimbabwe in Melbourne.

Heading into Sunday's game, Rohit Sharma's side knew their place in the last four was already secured after South Africa fell to a shock loss against the Netherlands earlier in the day.

But with top spot on the line after Pakistan comprehensively beat Bangladesh by five wickets, India knew they would need to post a similarly convincing win to overhaul their rivals.

They responded to the challenge with impressive power, guided by a freewheeling 61 not out off 25 balls for Yadav, ably supported by earlier knocks for KL Rahul (51) and Virat Kohli (26) to post a fearsome 186-5.

Sean Williams posted Zimbabwe's best bowling figures with 2-9, but could not help his side avoid leaking runs, and any prospect of a Zimbabwe chase appeared slim when Wesley Madhevere was caught first ball.

Sikandar Raza (34) and Ryan Burl (35) were valiant in pursuit, but India were out of sight thanks to a bowling attack led by Ravichandran Ashwin (3-22), to set up a showdown with England in Adelaide next week.

Yadav steadies fort after early wobbles

There was one nervy moment for India as they lost three wickets – Kohli, Rahul and Rishabh Pant – for 14 runs in a flash, slipping from 87-1 to 101-4.

But Yadav's emphatic turn ensured India put up a daunting total that proved well beyond Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe head home on a whimper

Having delivered one of the shocks of the tournament when they edged Pakistan by one run, a result that seemingly took the latter out of semi-final consideration at one point, this was a lacklustre final bow from Zimbabwe.

Though Craig Ervine's side were always likely to face an uphill battle to chase down India, their poor choices combined with a lethal opposition bowling attack left them with their lowest full-innings total at this year's T20 World Cup.

Max O'Dowd made a gutsy half century as the Netherlands recorded a deserved five-wicket win over Zimbabwe, who are all but eliminated from the T20 World Cup.

Paul van Meekeren set the tone with the ball, taking 3-29 as Zimbabwe were knocked over for just 117 in a poor batting display at the Adelaide Oval.

Sikandar Raza made a brisk 40 off 24 and Sean Williams 28 off 23 to ensure there was not total humiliation but no other Zimbabwe batsman made double figures.

Dutch opener O'Dowd scrapped his way to 52, making eight fours and one six, to set the chase up nicely.

Tom Cooper also played a part with 32 off 29. Richard Ngarava (2-23) accounted for Colin Ackerman (1) and Scott Edwards (5), while Blessing Muzarabani ended O'Dowd's knock but the Netherlands had enough to get over the line.

Zimbabwe are fourth in Group 2 with just one more Super 12 game to play, while the Dutch remain rock bottom but at least get in the win column.

Bangladesh edged past Zimbabwe by three runs in another chaotic T20 World Cup final-over thriller at the Gabba on Sunday to keep alive their T20 World Cup semi-final hopes.

Zimbabwe needed five off the final delivery, and the Tigers thought they had claimed victory when wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan stumped Blessing Muzarabani, as both sides shook hands and left the field of play.

But the third umpire called players back on in bizarre scenes with Nurul deemed to have illegally taken the ball before it passed the stumps, with the dismissal overturned and the delivery deemed a no-ball, forcing it to be re-bowled as a free hit, with Zimbabwe needing four for victory.

After the chaos, however, spinner Mosaddek Hossain held his nerve with the ball as Muzarabani swung and missed, to clinch the points for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh captain Shakib Al-Hasan had earlier produced a spectacular direct-hit run out to dismiss Sean Williams for 64 from 42 balls, after he had rescued Zimbabwe from 35-4 to take them within sight of victory.

The Tigers posted 150-7 led by opener Najmul Hossain Shanto with 71 from 55 balls, but Zimbabwe may have restricted them to less if not for poor fielding which cursed them. Richard Ngarava was Zimbabwe's best with the ball, taking 2-24.

More final-over World Cup madness

Zimbabwe needed 16 off the final over from Mosaddek for victory and appeared gone after Brad Evans was caught in the deep by Afif Hossain.

But this World Cup offered another few final over twists, with four leg byes followed by Richie Ngarava's six over fine leg, only to be stumped when the equation was in his favour, needing five off two.

Tigers bowlers prove the difference

Opening bowler Taskin Ahmed (3-19) was named Player of the Match after his spell decimated the Zimbabwean top order, getting both openers inside the first three overs. Taskin also sent down 15 dot balls and bowled a rare maiden, with his three-wicket haul taking him to eight dismissals in the World Cup.

Left-armer Mustafizur Rahman was excellent too with an economical 2-15, but Shakib's decision to bowl him out in the 17th over almost backfired at the death.

Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza says a clip of Australia great Ricky Ponting praising his form helped give him a "little push" to stun Pakistan in the T20 World Cup.

Raza, who was born in Pakistan, delivered a man-of-the-match performance with a three-wicket haul and a run-out to turn the tide in his side's favour for a shock one-run win in Perth.

The 36-year-old has been in excellent form this year, catching the eye of Ponting, who drew comparison to his former Australia team-mates Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.

Speaking after Zimbabwe's dramatic victory on Thursday, Raza - who recorded figures of 3-25 - admitted the video clip, shown to him before the game, provided a little extra motivation to help his side record a famous upset.

"I know there was a small clip that was sent to me this morning, and it was Ricky Ponting having a small word," he stated. "I was excited. I was nervous.

"I was thrilled about today. Motivation was always there, but if I needed that little push, I thought that clip did a wonder this morning. So thank you very much to Ricky as well."

Pakistan captain Babar Azam, meanwhile, professed his frustration at his side's performance, but vowed they would deliver a response in their next Super 12 match against Netherlands.

"We were not up to the mark in the batting," he acknowledged. "We had a bad first six overs. Later on we finished well. We'll sit together and learn from our mistakes and come back hard next match."

Pakistan remain without a point after two defeats in Group 2 of the Super 12, while Zimbabwe have three points following their washout draw against South Africa.

Pakistan batsman Shan Masood admits his side "let it slip" in their shock T20 World Cup loss to Zimbabwe on Thursday.

Having restricted their rivals in Group 2 to 130-8, Babar Azam's side looked poised for a successful chase at Optus Stadium in Perth.

But a momentum-shifting spell with the ball from Sikandar Raza helped turn the match on its head and guide Zimbabwe to a famous upset, leaving Masood to acknowledge Pakistan fell short of their own expectations.

"We are very disappointed," he told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra. "I don't think we're a batting unit that can't achieve a target of 130.

"We just had to finish the game off. It's very disappointing that, when push came to shove and [the] pressure came on, we let it slip.

"We have to give credit to Zimbabwe, they came out of the blocks quickly. Once you've got that start, however bad you play, you still get to a score that you can fight for."

Raza, the Pakistan-born Zimbabwe all-rounder, produced three wickets and the crucial run-out for the victors, and he admitted he was struggling to put his team's result into context.

"I'm lost for words," he added. "My thoughts are dry and I think that is because of all my emotions. I just can't tell you how proud I am of this group of boys.

"The way the seamers started at the top was unbelievable and the way we backed it up in the field and just kept believing, I don't think there are any words that I can share right now."

Zimbabwe beat Pakistan by one run in a sensational T20 World Cup encounter at Perth Stadium on Thursday.

The Chevrons recorded only their second T20I win against Pakistan in 18 meetings, despite setting a relatively modest target of 131.

A dramatic final over from Brad Evans (2-25) saw Zimbabwe clinch an unlikely victory, with Regis Chakabva running out Shaheen Shah Afridi off the last ball to leave Pakistan's semi-final hopes hanging by a threat after a dramatic loss to India.

After an opening stand of 42 from five overs, both Craig Ervine (19) and Wessly Madhevere (17) were out in quick succession, while Sean Williams was dropped on nine by Iftikhar Ahmed, before eventually departing for 31.

Pakistan took four wickets in six balls to leave Zimbabwe 95-7, but Ryan Burl (10 not out) and Evans (19) took them up to 130-8 - Mohammad Wasim (4-24) the pick of the bowlers.

Openers Babar Azam (and Mohammad Rizwan in the first five overs of the run chase, but Pakistan were in trouble on 94-6 when Shan Masood (44) departed after steadying the ship.

Masood was stumped off the bowling of the excellent  Pakistan-born Sikandar Raza (3-25) with his team still needing 37 runs from 29 balls.

Needing 11 from the final over, it looked like Pakistan were heading for the win, Wasim and Mohammad Nawaz taking seven off the first two balls.

However, requiring three from two,Nawaz (22) hit Evans straight to Ervine, and the incoming Afridi could only score a single off the final delivery, leaving Pakistan just short on 129-8.

Zimbabwe delight as Shaheens T20I misery continues

It has been a great start to Super 12 stage for Zimbabwe, sitting on three points from two games, albeit they were helped by the rain in securing a washout draw against South Africa.

Pakistan have now lost 11 T20I games since the beginning of 2022, only in 2010 have they lost more in a calendar year (12).

Pakistan bowlers did their job

Wasim (4-24) and Shadab Khan (3-23) took the bulk of the wickets, while Haris Rauf claimed great figures of 1-12 from his four overs.

Rauf conceded the second-fewest tuns by a Pakistan bowler in a men's T20 World Cup game of those to have bowled their full quota of four overs, behind Afridi - who took 4-11 against Netherlands in 2009.

South Africa were denied a winning start to their T20 World Cup campaign by rain in Hobart, with Quinton de Kock's Herculean effort against Zimbabwe ultimately going to waste.

Monday's contest was initially shortened to nine overs following a pre-match rain delay of over three hours, with another two overs being lost following a stoppage early in South Africa's innings.

Both sides open their Super 12 accounts with a point following a declaration of no result, which came with the Proteas requiring just 14 runs for victory following a fine innings from De Kock.

Inclement weather saw the teams exit the field after the national anthems, but South Africa looked set to begin their campaign with a win after starting well when play finally began.

Zimbabwe openers Craig Ervine (2) and Regis Chakabva (8) were gone within three overs, the former handing Wayne Parnell a routine catch before the latter feathered an edge through to De Kock.

When the former skipper made a spectacular one-handed catch to see off Sikandar Raza for a duck, Zimbabwe were faltering on 19-4, but eventually reached 79-5 thanks to Wessly Madhevere (35 not out) and Milton Shumba (18).

De Kock looked set to be the hero with the bat after the Proteas were set a revised target of 64. 

Fellow opener Temba Bavuma (2 not out) was a mere spectator as De Kock reached 47 by the end of the third over, but the weather came to Zimbabwe's aid as the rain began to lash down once more, leaving the officials with little choice but to stop play altogether.

Captain Craig Ervine led the way as Zimbabwe roared past Scotland to reach the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup.

Ervine's assured 58 set the platform for Zimbabwe to chase down Scotland's 132-6, which was anchored by 54 from George Munsey.

Zimbabwe reached their target with nine balls to spare, posting 133-5, with a key to their victory being a fourth-wicket partnership of 64 between Ervine and Sikandar Raza, who rattled to 40 from just 23 balls and took man-of-the-match honours.

Ryan Burl struck the winning boundary for Zimbabwe, whose opening bowler Tendai Chatara earlier kept it tight to stifle Scotland, taking 2-14 from his four overs.

Zimbabwe had beaten Ireland in their tournament opener before losing to West Indies, while Scotland beat West Indies but lost to Ireland, setting up Friday's game in Hobart as a winner-takes-all tussle.

The victory for Zimbabwe secured top spot in Group B of the first-round stage, earning a place in Group 2 of the Super 12 stage, where they will face Bangladesh, India, Netherlands, Pakistan and South Africa.

Scotland go home, as do West Indies following their defeat to Ireland earlier on Friday.

Ireland, as runners-up to Zimbabwe, progress into Group 1 where Afghanistan, Australia, England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka await them.

Zimbabwe will stay in Hobart for their Super 12 opener, an appetising clash with South Africa on Monday.

West Indies quick Alzarri Joseph insists the work is nowhere close to finished for the former champions, despite a campaign revitalizing 31-run win over Zimbabwe at the Bellerive Oval on Wednesday.

Joseph, who scooped man of the match honours, certainly played his part in the crucial victory, bowling with plenty of pace and hostility to restrict Zimbabwe to 122 in pursuit of the West Indies 153 for 7.

The win, however, while giving the Caribbean team a tournament saving two points, still leaves them just out of the equation on Net Run Rate.  In the ultra-competitive group where all the teams are on 2 points after 2 matches, the equation becomes simple.  Win the next one and advance.

“It’s very encouraging but we know the job’s not done.  We still have one more game to win and we have to try and get that win in order to get out of this round,” he added.

For the second match in a row, Joseph, who worked well in tandem with Holder, was brought in with the team on the back foot and managed to steady the ship so to speak.

“For me, it’s all about pulling it back for the team.  I try and get an early wicket, if not I just keep it tight,” he added.

The West Indies will face Ireland in their final fixture of the tournament on Thursday at 11:00 pm, while Zimbabwe will face Scotland.

An inspired spell of pace bowling from Alzarri Joseph jumpstarted a floundering ICC Men's T20 World Cup campaign for the West Indies who registered a crucial 31-run win over Zimbabwe on Wednesday.

Joseph ended the match with impressive figures of 4 for 16, but more than anything the innings will be remembered for the bowler's crucial breakthroughs when the Caribbean team’s tournament seemed destined to unravel.

Chasing a somewhat below-par total of 157, a surging Zimbabwe hammered 29 off the first two overs from the opening tandem of Kyle Mayers and Akeal Hosein.  Joseph, however, struck crucially to remove Wessely Madhevere for 9 to dent Zimbabwean invulnerability and return some hope to his team, who took the initiative and battled back into the game.

Joseph’s effort was well backed up by former West Indies captain Jason Holder who claimed 3 for 12 and played a key role in ensuring the plucky African unit was restricted to 122.

In their turn at the crease, the West Indies looked set for a big score, at one point,  cruising at 90 for 3, at the start of the 12^th over, with a set Johnson Charles at the crease.  Once again, however, the team was, however, bogged down by spin and Sikandar Raza wove a magical web to end with 3 for 19 after curtailing the Windies' momentum.  At the back end of the innings, though, Rovman Powell and Hosein combined for a crucial 49 from 35 to give the Windies innings a much-needed lift.  Charles had earlier given the team a strong start at the top of the innings with a purposeful 45 from 36.

Scores:

West Indies 157/7 (20)

Johnson Charles 45 (36)

Rovman Powell 28 (21)

Akeal Hosein 23* (18)

Sinkadar Razza 3 /19 (4), Blessing Muzarabani 2/38 (4)

Zimbabwe 122 (18.2)

Luke Jongwe 29 (22)

Wesley Madhevere 27 (19)

Ryan Burl 17 (19)

Alzarri Joseph 4/16 (4) Jason Holder 3/12 (3.2)

West Indies recovered from their shock defeat to Scotland by defeating Zimbabwe in their second T20 World Cup match.

The Windies were stunned on Monday but atoned for that loss by claiming a 31-run win over Zimbabwe at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.

A better team than Zimbabwe might have punished West Indies for another unconvincing batting display, with Nicholas Pooran's side only able to reach 153-7 from their 20 overs. Johnson Charles (45) was their best performer.

Sikandar Raza was excellent in Zimbabwe's opening win over Ireland and he delivered with the ball against the Windies on Wednesday, taking 3-19 from four overs.

Fortunately for West Indies, their bowlers performed – Jason Holder taking 3-12 and Alzarri Joseph collecting a career-best 4-16 to skittle Zimbabwe for 122.

Each team in Group B is now on two points, with Michael Jones' brilliant 86 from 55 deliveries – a knock that included 10 boundaries – not enough for Scotland as they lost to Ireland by six wickets.

Scotland looked well set to claim a second win and put themselves on the brink of the Super 12s as they amassed 176-5.

Matters seemed bleak for Ireland when none of their opening four batters managed to score more than 20, yet Curtis Campher (72 not out) and George Dockrell (39no) put on an unbeaten partnership of 119. 

West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder has rejected claims the team is missing the impact of some of its most explosive players, following a shock opening-day loss to Scotland.

For the first time in decades the team heading into a tournament, without the likes of some of its most experienced T20 campaigners with the likes of Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and Andre Russell no longer counted among their numbers.

Despite that fact, however, Holder insists the team has plenty of quality at its disposal.

“I don’t think we are missing anyone, I think we have every tool that we need in this dressing room,” Holder said.

In Sunday’s opening Group B encounter, the team suffered a shocking 42-run defeat at the hands of Scotland.  The match almost certainly put West Indies in a must-win situation against world number 11^th- ranked Zimbabwe, with only the top two teams from the group.

Against Scotland, the team put in a creditable performance with the ball as Alzarri Joseph and Holder himself each claimed two wickets.  With the bat, however, the team was once again found wanting.  As has often been the case it was spin that proved the undoing of the Windies at the crease.  With Mark Watt and Michael Leask leading the way for the Scots, the Windies were bundled out for 118, with only Holder again making an impact with 38 from 33.

For their part, Zimbabwe were impressive in their opener against Ireland, taking the encounter by 31 runs and Holder knows it will take a special effort. 

“We are just going to have to dig deep.  There is no other way to really put it, we just have to dig deep and bring it together,” Holder added.

The West Indies will face Zimbabwe at 3:00 am on Wednesday.

“There’s no doubt that we have what it takes” was the message from West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder ahead of his team’s must-win game against Zimbabwe at the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia on Wednesday.

The Windies are in a must-win situation after suffering an embarrassing 42-run defeat at the hands of Scotland on Sunday, leaving them at the foot of Group B needing wins in their last two games to move on to the Super 12s.

“Obviously, we had a tough start yesterday,” said the former West Indies Test and ODI skipper in a pre-match press conference on Monday.

“We’re all disappointed with the performance we had but I think the most important thing we have to do now is to come together and try to find solutions. There’s no doubt that we have what it takes to turn it around and it’s all about hitting the ground running against Zimbabwe,” he added.

The Zimbabweans will enter the game on a high after getting a comprehensive 31-run win over Ireland in their first game, also on Sunday.

“They’re a very good cricket team. We’ve played against them quite a bit in the recent past and they’ve been more and more competitive. They’re on a bit of a win streak as well so we’re expecting a highly competitive game; one of the hardest games we’ll have in the competition.”

The first game saw the Caribbean team struggle with the bat, being bowled out for 118 in just 18.3 overs in pursuit 161.

Better situational awareness and the forming of partnerships were Holder's answers when asked about possible solutions for the team's batting struggles.

 “We’ve got to be a little more situationally aware and try to build partnerships. Partnerships are key in any cricket game.”

“The situation of the game will determine how we play. If that requires that we go for boundaries then we’ll go for boundaries but if it requires that we have to knock it around for a bit, we’ll make that adjustment.”

The game is scheduled to start at 3:00 am Jamaica Time (4:00 am ECT).

Scotland, spearheaded by the superb bowling of Mark Watt and Michael Leask, claimed a shock win over West Indies to get off to a flyer at the T20 World Cup.

Having seen Namibia stun Sri Lanka on Sunday, Scotland sealed a famous 42-run triumph against the two-time T20 world champions at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Monday.

It was the first T20I meeting between the teams and brought up Scotland's first win in the format this year. For the Windies, 2022 is now their worst year on record in terms of T20I defeats (14).

"Obviously it is a special win for us," said Scotland captain Richard Berrington, whose side snapped a seven-game losing run in T20Is. "It took a lot of work and has given us belief."

While the credit will go to Scotland's brilliant bowlers, opening batter George Munsey set the tone with an unbeaten 66.

Munsey struck nine boundaries as he stayed at the crease throughout Scotland's innings, guiding them to 160-5 as the Windies bowlers failed to get going.

Jason Holder was the pick of the bunch with 2-14 from three overs, moving him onto 48 T20I wickets, but Odean Smith (1-31) and Akeal Hosein (0-31) struggled to make the same impact.

Holder was the only Windies batter to step up and be counted, too, with his 38 the only score above 20 for Nicholas Pooran's team.

Watt was fantastic, claiming 3-12 – his first wicket, when he bowled the dangerous Brandon King, sparking a collapse as the Windies lost six for just 21 runs to fall from 58-2 to 79-7.

Leask claimed his two wickets – Pooran and Rovman Powell – as part of that run, and West Indies' defeat was confirmed when Chris Greaves plucked Holder's stray shot. 

"Tough loss for us, obviously disappointed," said Pooran, who must rally the Windies for matches against Zimbabwe and Ireland.

"We have to work hard and win two games. We have to take accountability and responsibility."