Tight win delights Dhoni

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was delighted to see his team cope with the pressure of chasing down Zimbabwe's 287 on Saturday, insisting the extensive workout will help them in the World Cup knockout rounds.

"I think it couldn't have been better in the sense if you're playing the last game of the league stage, and if you get an easy win, you don't get a lot out of that game," said Dhoni.

"What was good was the spinners were put under pressure, and also we lost quick wickets initially, and that actually put our middle and lower middle order under pressure, so we gained a lot out of it."

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin went for 75 runs in his ten overs for one wicket while fellow slow bowler Ravindra Jadeja conceded 71 without any reward in as many overs.

India then lost four key wickets before Raina and Dhoni put on an unbroken 195-run stand for the fifth wicket.

"Winning, of course, was very important, but the knock by Raina was crucial coming at number five," said Dhoni.

"More often than not you don't get an opportunity. You get in to bat maybe after the 38th, 39th over if your top order is batting well and you have to slog it out, so you play the big shot, you get out, you don't score too many runs."

Match Facts

• Australia against Scotland lasted 246 balls, making it the shortest match in this World Cup. The game ended in just over three hours.
• Australia's spearhead Mitchell Starc now has the best bowling average in the history of ODIs (1000 balls bowled). He also has the best bowling average and strike rate in World Cup history.
• Brendan Taylor had an almost perfect swansong, scoring 138 in his 167th and final ODI as his side lost to India.
• India's total of 288 yesterday was their highest when batting second in all World Cup games.
• This is the second time that five Scotland batsmen have got ducks in an innings in this World Cup – the only time a team has had five ducks twice in a single World Cup.

TODAY'S MATCHES

UAE v West Indies
Time: 4:00am    
Venue: Napier
Ireland v Pakistan
Time: 9:30am    
Venue: Adelaide