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PHOTOS: India make it 6-0 v Pakistan in World Cup

February 15, 2015

Virat Kohli top-scored with a sizzling knock of 107, after being dropped by Yasir Shah off Shahid Afridi on seven and again by wicketkeeper Umar Akmal on 76, to help India post 300 for seven despite losing a flurry of wickets in the last few overs.

Mohammed Shami caused the most damage with the ball, claiming 4 for 35.

India's Mohammed Shami celebrates with teammates after dismissing Pakistan's Wahab Riaz in the World Cup match at the Adelaide  Oval on Sunday. Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Virat Kohli scored an imperious century to help India open their World Cup campaign with a 76-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in a Pool A match at the Adelaide Oval, on Sunday.

Scorecard

Turning Point: Kohli makes most of early 'lives'

India extend World Cup supremacy over Pakistan after Kohli ton

Suresh Raina smashed a quickfire 74 from 56 balls and Shikhar Dhawan hit 73 after India elected to bat first.

In reply, Pakistan never got going and captain Misbah-ul-Haq was the only batsman to go past the half-century mark, scoring 76.

India’s Virat Kohli celebrates after getting to hundred. Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Kohli continued his love affair with the Adelaide Oval. His composed 107 came off 126 balls and was inclusive of eight boundaries.

India could have got more runs, but they were checked by Pakistan's death bowling. In the last five overs they lost five wickets for only 27 runs.

India’s Shikhar Dhawan dives in vain to make his crease. Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

En route his 22nd ODI century, Kohli joined Sourav Ganguly as the second-highest century maker for India in ODIs, withonly Sachin Tendulkar (49) ahead of him. But he did eclipse Tendulkar's highest individual score (98) by an Indian against Pakistan in any World Cup game.

He Shikhar Dhawan (73) and Suresh Raina (74) pulverised the Pakistan bowling attack, which ran out of ideas by the 20th over itself.

What Dhawan and Kohli started with a bang was finished with a flourish due to Raina's 56-ball knock that had five fours and three sixes.

Pakistan players celebrate the dismissal of India’s Rohit Sharma. Photograph: Morne de Klerk/Getty Images

Raina upped the ante as soon as he came in, carting the Pakistani bowlers in the arc between square leg and deep mid-wicket. All his sixes were hit in that particular region as the opposition attack ran short of ideas.

Much depended on the 7 feet 1 inch tall Mohammad Irfan (0/56 in 10 overs) but Indian batsmen's meticulous homework and Pakistan's lack of it were evident during the Kohli-Dhawan partnership.

India’s Shikhar Dhawan is congratulated by teammate Virat Kohli after getting to 50. Photograph: Morne de Klerk/Getty Image

It was patient yet authoritative knock from Kohli, where he built his innings brick-by-brick rather than playing scintillating shots. It wasn't a flurry of boundaries but liberal sprinklings of ones and twos with the boundaries interspersed in-between.

The foundation of the innings was Kohli's 129-run second wicket stand with Dhawan, who also found form with an attractive 73 off 76 balls that had seven fours and a six.

Pakistan pacer Sohail Khan celebrates after dismissing Ajinkya Rahane. Photograph: Morne de Klerk/Getty Image

If Kohli-Dhawan did the consolidation, the Kohli-Raina stand of 110 off 15.3 overs helped them get to a substantial total. When Kohli was finally caught behind off pacer Sohail Khan, he had done his job and fittingly got a standing ovation from the capacity crowd.

Pakistan’s young fast bowler Sohail Khan finished with fine figures of 5 for 55. His victims included Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ajinkya Rahane.

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