India set up Champions Trophy Final clash with Pakistan as Rohit Sharma sweeps Bangladesh aside

Set a target of 265, Rohit and his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan treated the Bangladesh attack with the disdain they would usually show net bowlers. Rohit finished 123 not out, with captain Virat Kohli unbeaten on 96 and passing 8,000 ODI runs in the process.

Dhawan is another who loves this tournament. He was the leading run-scorer as India won it in 2013, making 363 runs, and he is on target to repeat that. Dhawan made 46 here, taking his aggregate for the competition to 317 – only 13 ahead of Rohit.

Dhawan would surely have made many more had he not tried to reach his 50 by trying to wallop Mashrafe Mortaza inside-out over extra-cover for four. It was an extravagant shot, which ended in the hands of Mahmudullah backward point.

There was no chance, however, that India would be punished for Dhawan’s flash of arrogance. Not when Kohli was next in.

Kohli was determined to enjoy himself against such limited bowling. This is one of the world’s best batsmen and it showed, as he played decisively all around the wicket. One shot stood out: the drive on the up off Mustafizur Rahman, which scurried past mid-off for four.

The shot that took Rohit to his hundred was similarly memorable, though far less elegant. Mustafizur pitched short, Rohit hooked, Mosaddek Hossain could not make up the ground from long leg and the ball thudded into the boundary as Mosaddek tumbled over. Eventually, the umpires signalled six. Rohit raised his arms to his team-mates, and then the Indian supporters, who continued to serenade him.

India won it with 59 balls to spare – just as emphatically as Pakistan beat England in Cardiff yesterday/on Wednesday. Bangladesh did well to reach the last four and are improving, but they are no match for Kohli’s band.

Only when Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim were batting together were Bangladesh in the game. The pair added 123 in 21.1 overs for the third wicket and, for once, India looked jittery – but it did not last.

Tamim was bowled for 70 attempting a slog sweep at Kedar Jadhav’s part-time off-spin. Thereafter, India’s slow bowlers squeezed their opponents, with Ravi Jadeja practically sprinting back to his mark between deliveries. Jadeja removed Shakib Al Hasan for 15, before Mushfiqur dragged a full toss from Jadhav to Kohli at midwicket and was out for 61.

Mortaza, the captain, made an unbeaten 30 to push Bangladesh to 264 for seven but it felt too few. In fact, against these batsmen, on this pitch, 520 would have felt too few. As well as Pakistan bowled against England, it will take a mighty effort to tear the Champions Trophy from India’s hands.