England will face Australia in the World Cup semi-finals on Thursday after Aaron Finch’s side were edged out by South Africa in a thriller at Old Trafford.
Australia fell 10 runs short in the competition’s final group game and, as a result, will head to Edgbaston to face England while India, as group winners, will play New Zealand at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
“It is going to be a blockbuster,” said Australia captain Finch. “It doesn’t get much bigger than England v Australia in a World Cup semi-final.
“The fans are always entertaining down there (Edgbaston). It is going to be a fantastic atmosphere.”
Chasing 326 for victory, Australia fell to 95-3 and lost Usman Khawaja to a hamstring problem, but David Warner’s imperious century gave the defending champions hope of a win.
Wicketkeeper Alex Carey hit out in the final 10 overs as he scored a fine 85 but, with 51 needed from 28 balls, he holed out, and Australia could not regain the momentum.
South Africa’s total had been set up by a fine ton from captain Faf du Plessis and 95 from Rassie van der Dussen.
Australia, meanwhile, will travel to Birmingham with injury concerns over three key players.
Khawaja did come back out after going off early in Australia’s innings but could barely run, Marcus Stoinis had treatment on his side while batting and Mitchell Starc appeared to feel some discomfort while bowling.
Rohit’s record fifth ton wins it for India
India finished top of the World Cup group table with a seven-wicket win against Sri Lanka.
With Australia losing to South Africa by 10 runs, India stayed above them and will play New Zealand in the semi-final at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Rohit Sharma became the first man to score five centuries in a single World Cup as India chased down 265 with 6.3 overs to spare at Headingley.
Angelo Mathews made 113 as Sri Lanka recovered from 55-4 to post 264-7.
Playing his 16th World Cup match, Rohit 32, reached three figures in 92 balls and equalled the record of six World Cup centuries overall, held by legendary compatriot Sachin Tendulkar, who played 44 innings in the event.
He now has 647 runs in this year’s tournament and needs only 27 more to eclipse another of Tendulkar’s World Cup landmarks, the 673 he scored in the 2003 competition.
With KL Rahul, who made 111, they put on 189 for the highest opening stand in this year’s competition, eclipsing their own 180 against Bangladesh on Tuesday.
The right-handed pair hit nine boundaries in the opening six overs as India took control of the chase from the start. The only surprise was Rohit driving straight to mid-off in the 31st over, having completed his 27th ODI hundred in his 214th match.
In his World Cup finale, Sri Lanka pace spearhead Lasith Malinga, who played in both the 2007 and 2011 finals, claimed the wicket of Rahul in the 41st over with a trademark surprise bouncer.
It took the 35-year-old above Wasim Akram into third place in World Cup wicket-taking history with 56, behind only Muttiah Muralitharan and Glenn McGrath.
The inconsistent Sri Lankans, who were bowled out for 136 by New Zealand but went on to beat favourites England, played plenty of attacking strokes but the loss of their fourth wicket in only the 12th over meant a rebuilding operation was essential and Mathews calmly recorded a century stand in 141 balls with Lahiru Thirimanne (53).
Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah impressed again after Sri Lanka opted to bat, taking 2-5 in his opening 19 deliveries and the ever-assured former India skipper MS Dhoni was involved in the first four dismissals with some neat glovework.
Mathews was reprieved on 61 as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, having got both hands to the chance coming in from long-on, could not hold on with the score on 169-4.
It was the second catch put down by India, with Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya – who went on to take a superb catch diving forward to end the innings – almost colliding in pursuit of a lofted drive from Kusal Perera.
The powerfully built Mathews capitalised and the second fifty of his 115-ball century took only 41 deliveries.
It was his third ODI century, all of which have been against India, but Bumrah returned to dismiss him in the penultimate over and only three fours were scored off the wily India strike bowler in his 10-over spell of 3-37. (BBC Sport)
