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Page last updated at 15:33 GMT, Monday, 11 January 2010

Virat Kohli century sets up India win over Bangladesh

One-day international, Mirpur: India 249-4 (43 ovs) bt Bangladesh 247 (50 ovs) by six wickets


Virat Kohli celebrates hitting a ton for India
Kohli hit 11 boundaries in his 95-ball innings

Virat Kohli continued his prolific form with an assured 102 not out as India beat Bangladesh by six wickets in a dead triangular series match in Mirpur.

Bowling first, India's seamers reduced the hosts to 95-5 in the 24th over.

A 106-run stand between Shakib Al Hasan (85) and Mahmudullah (64 not out) steered Bangladesh to 247-6.

But assisted by Gautam Gambhir (41), Kohli tore into Bangladesh's bowlers with a 95-ball ton as India romped to victory with 42 balls to spare.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side, second in the International Cricket Council's one-day ratings, face Sri Lanka, ranked seventh, in the final on Wednesday in Mirpur.

Dhoni once again took advantage of winning the toss and opting to bowl first, sidestepping the issue of dealing with a wet ball as the evening dew sets in.

He has made a few mistakes early in his career but he's been in awesome form in this tournament

Mahendra Dhoni on Virat Kohli

And his triumvirate of seamers, Sreesanth, Ashish Nehra and Sudeep Tyagi, tore into the top order as Bangladesh were reduced to 67-4.

Captain Shakib, batting at five, stymied the rampant Indian attack with an assured 97-ball innings, ably assisted by the ever-improving Mahmudullah.

The all-rounder smashed eight boundaries and a six while his sixth-wicket partner found the ropes five times, along with a solitary maximum.

But Bangladesh's bowling attack faced an uphill battle to rein in India's free-flowing strokemakers inside of 247.

Openers Gambhir and Dinesh Karthik (34) built a solid foundation for Kohli to cut loose, assisted by Dhoni (32) and Raina (18 not out).

The stylish right-hander is the top run scorer in the tournament and extended his lead over second-placed Mahmudullah with a series of scintillating strokes around the wicket.

Kohli was given a reprieve on 81 when he was dropped on the deep midwicket boundary by Mohammad Ashraful off Syed Rasel.

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But the 21-year-old soon made amends for his aberration by registering his second one-day hundred with a scythed four through midwicket off Shakib, a boundary which condemned Bangladesh to their fourth successive defeat.

Kohli becomes becomes the third Indian to score two one-day international hundreds before their 22nd birthday. Only Sachin Tendulkar and Suresh Raina have previously achieved the feat.

Dhoni hailed the contribution of the Bangalore-born batsman, who looks to have cemented his place within the highly competitive Indian top order.

"He has made a few mistakes early in his career but he's been in awesome form in this tournament," said the India skipper.

"He knows exactly what to do and he has been learning from every game.

"We needed at least one batsman to go on a make a big score and the rest to contribute and that's exactly what happened in this game."



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see also
India seal place in one-day final
10 Jan 10 |  Cricket
Sri Lanka beat Tigers in Mirpur
08 Jan 10 |  Cricket
Dhoni ton leads India to victory
07 Jan 10 |  Cricket
Sri Lanka ease to win over India
05 Jan 10 |  Cricket
Dilshan inspires Sri Lankan win
04 Jan 10 |  Cricket
India & Sri Lanka in Bangladesh 2010
27 Jan 10 |  Cricket


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