South Africa gets off the mark; Aaron Finch smashes 153 against Sri Lanka

It came in their fourth game following two losses and a washout, but a win finally did come South Africa's way. Their bowlers successfully restricted Afghanistan to 125 courtesy of Imran Tahir, who bagged 4 for 29, and Chris Morris, who got 3 for 13. It required little effort from the openers to chase a rain-revised target of 127, with Quinton de Kock hitting 68 and importantly, Hashim Amla showing form with 41*. Meanwhile, Australia's captain Aaron Finch smeared the Sri Lanka attack at The Oval, cantering his way to a masterful 153. The loss of two partners cheaply kept him unaffected, as he shared 173 runs with Steven Smith in a free-flowing knock of 15 fours and 5 sixes. The highest score by an Australian captain in World Cups was one of pure confidence and power, as Sri Lanka fell short by 87 runs in pursuit of 335.

India 7, Pakistan 0

The match more than a billion were awaiting finally arrived and India won a World Cup game for the seventh time in a row against Pakistan, keeping them winless in the high-profile encounter. Rohit Sharma led the way with an ultra-aggressive 140, racing his way to a knock comprising 14 fours and 3 sixes. Aided well with half-centuries from KL Rahul and Virat Kohli, India posted a challenging 336 for 5. Though Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam briefly kept India on their toes, Kuldeep Yadav foxed the latter with perhaps the ball of the tournament? a fascinating delivery with drift, dip, and turn from over the wicket. With Pakistan virtually hopeless, rain reduced their target to 302 from 40 overs, leaving them 130 to get in the last four. That was as impossible a task as any, as they ended on 212, handing India a win by 89 runs.

Shakib, Liton Das flatten West Indies

Bangladesh had already beaten South Africa but two defeats and a washout had them derailed. With a powerful batting line-up to face, Bangladesh bowled first at Taunton and started brilliantly, dismissing Chris Gayle for a duck. Though three half-centuries and some rapid lower-order runs took West Indies to 321, Bangladesh seemed to arrive with determination to hunt that down. While at 133 for 3 West Indies sniffed chances of a win, their veteran warhorse Shakib al Hasan and Liton Das started a carnage as their partnership grew bigger and stronger. Shakib hit his second century in a row with an attacking 124* while Liton was more flamboyant in a 69-ball 94* with 4 sixes, including three in a row off Shannon Gabriel. Bangladesh romped home by 7 wickets in the second-highest World Cup chase in history with an astonishing 8.3 overs left.

Eoin Morgan flays Afghanistan

There was little doubt as to which one was the most powerful batting line-up in this World Cup and England captain Eoin Morgan showed exactly why it was theirs. He arrived in the thirtieth over with the score at 164 and single-handedly blew Afghanistan away from thereon. In an innings featuring as many as 25 sixes? a world record for any side? Morgan alone flayed 17 of them, the highest for any batsman in an ODI. He flew his way to a career-best 148 off just 71 balls as England raked up 397 for 6; and as if his sixes weren't enough, Moeen Ali bashed four of his own in a blazing knock of 31* from 9 balls. Afghanistan could only manage 247 against the likes of Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid, with Hashmatullah Shahidi making a patient 76.

Kane Williamson leads from the front in intense thriller

It was the first nail-biter of the World Cup and could include no better battle than that between South Africa and New Zealand. In a rain-affected match down to 49 overs, South Africa struggled to 241 for 6 with their entire top four ? three of whom threw away settled innings? striking only in their sixties. On a slow, two-paced track, the target was not to be easily achieved as South Africa responded through pace, reducing New Zealand to 80 for 4. But captain Kane Williamson started a vigil that would end only with settling the chase. He was calm at the crease against pace and spin alike and waited for the bad ball to hit. Though South Africa created pressure at the death, Williamson responded with a timely six to not only seal the win but also get to a century himself.

End of the World Cup for Shikhar Dhawan

India, one of the two unbeaten sides of the World Cup so far along with New Zealand, suffered a huge blow when Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out of the rest of the World Cup. He was hit by Pat Cummins while playing Australia at The Oval in India's second game, as a rising delivery struck his left thumb leaving him in pain. Though he went on to hit 117 in a dominating knock to help India post 352, he did not take the field when Australia chased and was immediately ruled out for at least two of India's next matches. Rishabh Pant, called up as cover earlier, was confirmed as his replacement, as KL Rahul took his place against Pakistan and added 136 with Rohit Sharma for the opening wicket.

David Warner fires 166; Bangladesh goes down fighting

David Warner had already shown shades of his old self in the World Cup with two half-centuries and a 107 against Pakistan. But when Bangladesh ran into him, Warner unleashed his destructive best by hammering 166, his sixth 150-plus score in ODIs. He first added 121 with Aaron Finch before joining hands with Usman Khawaja for a stand of 192. Warner clobbered 14 fours and 5 sixes in a mesmerizing display of big-hitting in his second 150-plus score in a World Cup, more than any other batsman. Australia hammered 381 but Bangladesh always seemed to go after the target; and though Mushfiqur Rahim showed the way with a 102* coupled with sixties from Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah, Bangladesh went down after giving it their all, as they could get to only 333 for 8.