Six-Star India Smash Records En Route to World Cup Quarter-Finals
India are the only team in World Cup 2015 to dismiss their opponents six times and the second side to have won all their six group games.
India became the first team to dismiss their opponents six successive times in World Cups. MS Dhoni's men romped to their sixth straight win in this edition and moved to the quarter-finals on a complete high, having demolished Zimbabwe by six wickets in their last Pool B match in Auckland on Saturday. (Dhoni Seals it With Six)
While chasing a competitive total, India's unbeaten record in World Cup 2015 had come under serious threat once the top-order caved in. A defeat against unfancied Zimbabwe was on the cards when Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni joined forces at the crease. But the pair batted with flair and added an unbroken 196-run stand for the fifth wicket as India stormed through to their highest successful chase in World Cups, bettering the 277 for four versus Sri Lanka in the final at Mumbai on April 2, 2011 and the memorable 276 for four against Pakistan at Centurion on March 1, 2003, set up by Sachin Tendulkar's breathtaking 98. (India Believe in MS Dhoni)
India's bowlers have been in supreme form Down Under. Though they struggled through the four-match Test series and the tri-series involving Australia and England, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja found their groove in time for the World Cup. Some outstanding work by the fielders have also combined to help India take sixty wickets in the tournament. India also became only the second team to win all their six group matches, after co-hosts New Zealand, who barely held on against Bangladesh in thriller on Friday.
The dizzying records don't just end there. (Dhoni Not Pleased With India's Travel)
India have, for the first time, won ten World Cup games in succession. The incredible run has now lasted between March 20, 2011 and March 14, 2015 - all of these wins have come by big margins except the 29-run win over Pakistan at Mohali on March 30, 2011.
Chances are that the record run could extend further. If India defeat Bangladesh in the quarter-finals and progress further, India and Dhoni can add some more astonishing numbers to the record books.