Kolkata - On his 35th birthday, Virat Kohli marked the occasion by delivering a remarkable performance, equalling the record for the 49th ODI century. India secured their eighth World Cup victory with a resounding 243-run win over South Africa in Kolkata on Sunday.

Kohli, who celebrated his birthday, displayed his class with an unbeaten 101 off 121 balls, putting him on par with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. He combined forces with Shreyas Iyer (77), forging a dominant 134-run partnership that propelled India to a formidable total of 326 for five.

In the opening stages, Rohit Sharma (40 off 24 balls) and Shubman Gill (23) provided India with a strong foundation, amassing 62 runs in rapid succession. Rohit's explosive strokeplay resulted in India reaching 50 runs in just 4.3 overs, thanks to two sixes and six boundaries from his bat.

After the departures of Rohit and Gill, Kohli and Iyer seized control and ruthlessly punished the South African bowlers all over the field. Ravindra Jadeja played a pivotal role with an unbeaten cameo of 29 runs off 15 balls, guiding India to a substantial total.

In the subsequent South African innings, the Indian bowling attack, led by Jadeja's brilliant 5/33, Mohammed Shami's 2/18, and Kuldeep Yadav's 2/7, proved too formidable for the Proteas, who were bundled out for just 83 runs in 27.1 overs.

Both India and South Africa have already secured their places in the semifinals of the tournament.

Match Summary:

India 326 for 5 (Virat Kohli 101 not out, Shreyas Iyer 77).

South Africa: 83 all out in 27.1 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 5/33, Mohammed Shami 2/18, Kuldeep Yadav 2/7).