NORTH SOUND: Hardik Pandya blasted an undefeated half-century while leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav foxed Bangladesh batters with his guile as India moved to the brink of the T20 World Cup semi-finals with a dominant 50-run victory in a Super Eight Group 1 contest on Saturday.

Chasing 197 for victory at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Bangladesh lost three of their top five batsmen to Kuldeep who removed Tanzid Hasan (29), Towhid Hridoy (four) and Shakib Al Hasan (11).

Kuldeep, who got his opportunity in the Caribbean leg of the competition, made the Bangladesh batters look clueless with the effective use of googly and stock ball and finished with an impressive 3-19 from his four overs.

India now have two wins from two Super Eight games and will be guaranteed a semi-final spot if Australia defeat Afghanistan later Saturday and also make the last four from Group 1.

Pandya, who had made 50 when India batted, started the slide when he took the first Bangladesh wicket, tempting opener Liton Das (13) to sky a chance.

Das had crisply pulled Hardik for a six over deep mid-wicket but the all-rounder had him caught at deep square leg the very next ball. It was a premeditated walk across the stumps from Litton that led to his dismissal.

Kuldeep then got into the act and it did not take him long to make an impact.

He got rid of opener Tanzid with a wrong one that the batter failed to pick, trapping him in front of the stumps.

Bangladesh`s stand out batter so far, Towhid, went for a sweep against Kuldeep but missed it completely to be adjudgedlegbefore.

After being 76 for three in the 12th over, Bangladesh could only delaythe inevitable.

Once skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto fell to Jasprit Bumrah for a 32-ball 40, Bangladesh`s hopes went with him.

Bumrah also ended Rishad Hossain`s brief 24-run cameo as the veteran seamer enjoyed figures of 2-13 in four overs before the Tigers finished their 20 overs on 146-8.

Put in to bat, 2007 champions India saw five of their top six batsmen reach double-figure scores as they posted 1965, their highest score in what has been a low-scoring tournament so far.

All-rounder Pandya top-scored with an undefeated 50 off just 27 balls with four boundaries and three sixes.

India had raced to 71-1 in seven overs with skipper Rohit Sharma making a rapid 23 and Virat Kohli hitting his tournament best 37 off 28 balls.

Shakib Al Hasan bore the brunt of the assault but redeemed himself by ending the 39-run opening stand between Sharma and stalwart Kohli.

Rohit offered a skyer to perish but Kohli smacked three sixes before Tanzim Hasan triggered a mini-collapse in the eventful ninth over.

The pacer splattered Kohli`s stumps, had his next ball hit for a six by Suryakumar Yadav, and was celebrating the wicket of India`s number three batter in the following delivery.

Rishabh Pant cracked 36 off 24 balls with Shivam Dube making 34 18 of those runs coming from three sixes but it was Pandya, who provided the late flourish that took India close to the 200-mark.

The all-rounder completed his 50 off the final ball of the innings.

India beat Afghanistan by 47 runs in their Super Eight opener in Bridgetown while Bangladesh lost to Australia by 28 runs in a rain-hit clash in Antigua.

India have now won all five T20 World Cup clashes against Bangladesh and taken their overall head-to-head record to 13-1.-Agencies