England get Kohli to leave India up against it in World Cup crunch

BIRMINGHAM: England finally saw the back of India captain Virat Kohli at Edgbaston on Sunday  in a match they had to win in order to keep control of their bid for a World Cup semi-final place.

England left India with a stiff target of 338 and then removed opener KL Rahul for a duck when Chris Woakes held a caught and bowled chance.

Kohli duly completed his fifth successive fifty of the tournament and with Rohit Sharma, dropped on four, shared a second-wicket partnership of 138.

But just as the duo were upping the run-rate, Kohli sliced recalled paceman Liam Plunkett to substitute fielder James Vince, deputising for Jason Roy, at backward point.

Sharma, however, should have been dismissed when he edged fast bowler Jofra Archer's fourth ball, only for Joe Root to drop the regulation catch at second slip.

It was a mistake that could have potentially huge consequences for England after they came into this match on the back of successive defeats by Sri Lanka and reigning champions Australia.

Kohli made a tentative start against Archer, jerking his head out of the way of a sharply rising delivery and edging the next ball for an unconvincing four.

But the ball after saw the star batsman drive Archer to the cover boundary in textbook fashion -- a shot greeted with roars of approval from the overwhelmingly India-supporting crowd who had turned Edgbaston into a 'home' ground for Kohli's men.

Kohli hit six fours in a 59-ball fifty, with Sharma getting there in 65 balls when he lofted leg-spinner Adil Rashid over extra cover for his ninth four.

India, however, have only successfully chased down a target of more than 300 three times in 12 attempts since the last World Cup.

The most made by an side batting second to win a World Cup match is Ireland's 329-7 against England at Bangalore in 2011.

Earlier, Jonny Bairstow hit a hundred and Stokes added a blistering 79 in England's 337-7.

Bairstow made 111, while fellow opener Jason Roy more than justified his recall after missing three matches with a torn hamstring by making 66 in a first-wicket stand of 160 after England captain Eoin Morgan won the toss on a good pitch.

Mohammed Shami took a career-best 5-69, his first five-wicket haul in a one-day international.

"It was good to be back out there after some time on the bench. We have put a competitive total on the board," Roy said.

- Pre-match spat -

Pre-tournament favourites England, looking to win the World Cup for the first time, had badly missed Roy.

The Surrey star, however, was quickly into his stride, with the Roy chopping his second ball from Shami for four.

Bairstow, involved in a pre-match spat with former England captain Michael Vaughan after suggesting pundits wanted England to lose, twice saw big inside edges miss the stumps.

Roy could have been out on 21 when India all-rounder Hardik Pandya appealed for a caught behind down the legside off his fourth delivery.

But umpire Aleem Dar signalled a wide instead and Kohli opted against a review, although replays suggested the ball had touched Roy's glove.

Roy reached fifty in just 41 balls before, on 66, he was well caught by substitute Ravindra Jadeja at long-on.

A single off Pandya saw Bairstow to a 90 ball-hundred, including eight fours and six sixes, before he carved Shami to deep cover.