PERTH, Feb 28 (PTI): India today virtually assured themselves of a quarterfinal berth in the cricket World Cup after spanking minnows UAE by nine wickets, recording their third successive win with yet another flawless display, here today.
After the bowlers led by off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (4/25) bundled out UAE for a paltry 102 in only 31.3 overs, the batsmen made short work of the target knocking off the required runs in only 18.5 overs in a completely lop-sided Pool B contest.
India thus maintained their grip on the top spot in the league table with three wins from as many matches which took their points tally to six. With three matches against West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland left, Dhoni and his boys, are well on course of topping the group.
Shikhar Dhawan (14) started off well with three sweetly-timed boundaries before Rohan Mustafa at gully pulled off a one-handed stunner to send him back. The pacer was Mohammed Naveed.
Rohit Sharma hit a fluent unbeaten 57 off 55 deliveries with the help of 10 fours and a six to notch up a significant score before the West Indies game.
While runs against UAE may not be the best indicator of anyone�s current form, but some of Rohit�s silken strokes would certainly keep the Caribbean bowlers worried before the duel on March 6.
Two strokes that stand out were cover drives off rival captain Mohammed Tauqir�s off-spin. The first was hit through extra cover and the long-off fielder failed to stop it. The second off the very next delivery was hit finer and the result was same. Even when Rohit played the pull shot, it seemed as if he was indulging in touchplay rather use sheer muscle.
Virat Kohli (33 not out) had a calm day in office. Despite that he added 75 runs for the unbroken second wicket with Rohit in 12.2 overs.
The winning boundary was hit by Rohit and the celebrations were predictably muted as the win against UAE was taken for granted.
Earlier, India�s bowling unit continued to impress as they skittled out a below-par UAE on a pitch that was good for batting.
Opting to bat at the WACA, the UAE batsmen couldn�t replicate their spirited performance in the two previous games as Ashwin and Co. Performed like a well-oiled machine, maintaining their stranglehold on the opposition.
Ashwin with splendid career-best figures of 4/15 in 6.3 overs, was the pick of the bowlers but he also got good support from the likes of Umesh Yadav (2/15), comeback man Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/19), find of the season Mohit Sharma (1/16) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/23), who kept the pressure from the other end.
While the WACA wicket is known for its pace and bounce, Dhoni decimated the opposition with his slow bowlers as the minnows didn�t have an iota of idea about Ashwin�s deliveries.
Neither could they judge the straighter ones nor did they have the technique to play the conventional off-break. And �doosra� was something that they simply couldn�t read.
Scorecard
UAE
Amjad Ali c Dhoni b Kumar 4
Andri Berenger c Dhoni b Yadav 4
Krishna Chandran c Raina b Ashwin 4
Khurram Khan c Raina b Ashwin 14
Swapnil Patil c Dhawan b Ashwin 7
Shaiman Anwar b Yadav 35
Rohan Mustafa lbw b Mohit 2
Amjad Javed c Raina b Jadeja 2
Mohammad Naveed b Ashwin 6
Mohammad Tauqir b Jadeja 1
Manjula Guruge not out 10
Extras: (lb 4, w 9) 13
Total: (10 wickets; 31.3 overs) 102
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-13, 3-28, 4-41, 5-44, 6-52, 7-61, 8-68, 9-71,
Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 5-0-19-1, Umesh Yadav 6.3-2-15-2, Ravichandran Ashwin 10-1-25-4, Mohit Sharma 5-1-16-1, Ravindra Jadeja 5-0-23-2.
INDIA
Rohit not out 57
Dhawan c Rohan Mustafa b Naveed 14
Virat Kohli not out 33
Extras: 0
Total: (for 1 wicket in 18.5 overs) 104
Fall of wickets: 1-29. Bowling: Naveed 5-0-35-1, Guruge 6-1-19-0, Javed 2-0-12-0, Chandran 3-0-17-0, Tauqir 2.5-0-21-0.