Virat Kohli has smashed a century in another successful chase as India maintained their perfect record in their home World Cup and cruised to their fourth consecutive victory with a clinical seven-wicket win against Bangladesh.

Kohli ended with an unbeaten 103, hitting a six to reach his hundred, send the crowd wild and secure India’s win with 51 balls to spare on Thursday, as they eased to their victory target on 3-261.

The only question in the end was whether the great Kohli would reached his 48th ODI hundred, which he did with a glorious maximum over deep midwicket. He’s now only one behind his compatriot Sachin Tendulkar’s world record tally of 49.

Managing his way expertly to reaching the three-figure landmark, Kohli, batting alongside KL Rahul, refused singles on more than one occasion before reaching the milestone with his fourth six.

            MOST ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL HUNDREDS

• 49-Sachin Tendulkar, India
• 48-Virat Kohli, India
• 31-Rohit Sharma, India
• 30-Ricky Ponting, Australia/ICC
• 28-Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka/Asia
• 27-Hashim Amla, South Africa
• 25-AB de Villiers, South Africa/Africa
• 25-Chris Gayle, West Indies/ICC
• 25-Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka/ICC/Asia
• 22-Sourav Ganguly, India/Asia
• 22-Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka

Bangladesh had been asked to conjure up something extraordinary to upset an India team who went into the match after three successive wins, and the task became even harder in the absence of skipper Shakib Al Hasan was injured.

After stand-in captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bat, Bangladesh could not capitalise on a 93-run opening stand between Litton Das and Tanzid Hasan, making 8-256 on a good batting pitch at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.

It was a clinical effort by India’s attack, considering they were one bowler short from early in the match after Hardik Pandya twisted his ankle in his first over.

Virat Kohli. (Photo by Matt Roberts-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

Skipper Rohit Sharma led India’s rapid reply and the ever-brilliant Kohli secured India’s win with 51 balls to spare with his 97-ball ton.

When Bangladesh batted, the first six overs yielded only 19 runs after stand-in captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bat.

Kuldeep Yadav drew first blood by trapping Tanzid lbw and India claimed three quick wickets to peg back Bangladesh.

Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Shanto for eight and had Das caught in the deep.

In between those dismissals, wicketkeeper Rahul flew to his left to take a stunning one-handed catch after Mehidy Hasan Miraz had tickled Mohammed Siraj down the leg side.

Jadeja pulled off an equally spectacular catch at backward point to cut short Mushfiqur Rahim’s promising knock of 38 before Mahmudullah smashed a breezy 46 to help Bangladesh pass the 250-mark.

Rohit (48) then set alight the powerplay overs as he did in the last two matches when India began their chase.

Shubman Gill (53) was initially content admiring the effortless shot-making of his captain before he joined the party by hitting Nasum Ahmed for two sixes in the same over.

Hasan Mahmud bounced out Rohit but followed it with two no-balls and Kohli gleefully smacked a four and a six off the resulting free-hit deliveries to ease any pressure on India.

Gill could not build on his half-century, holing out to Mahmudullah on the boundary, before the Kohli show really began.

“I’m sorry for stealing it for Jaddu (Jadeja),” said Kohli, after collecting the player of the match award.

“I wanted to make a big contribution. Have made fifties in World Cups, I wanted to finish it off this time.”