BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom (AFP) – Jonny Bairstow hit a h undred before Chris Woakes starred as England ended India’s unbeaten run at this World Cup with a 31-run win yesterday to once again leave semi-final qualification in their own hands.

England, who came into this match on the back of successive defeats by Sri Lanka and Australia, will be assured of a place in the last four if they beat New Zealand in their last group match on Wednesday.

India can reach the knockout phase by beating Bangladesh when they return to Edgbaston on Tuesday.

England’s bid to win a first World Cup title is based on aggressive top-order batting but the runs had dried up lately.

That made their 337-7 after captain Eoin Morgan won the toss on a good pitch in Birmingham all the more heartening.

Bairstow top-scored with 111 and all-rounder Ben Stokes added a brisk 79, with India paceman Mohammed Shami taking a career-best 5-69.

No side have made more batting second to win a World Cup match than Ireland’s 329-7 against England at Bangalore in 2011.

Title contenders India weren’t up to the task as their chase petered out on 306-5.

India were a long way off from the moment opener KL Rahul was caught and bowled for a duck by Warwickshire paceman Woakes, who reeled off an impressive three straight maidens with the new ball on his home ground.

Rohit Sharma, Rahul’s opening partner, should have fallen for four but Joe Root dropped a routine second-slip catch off fast bowler Jofra Archer.

It threatened to be a costly miss with Sharma going on to 102, his third century of the tournament, in front of an overwhelmingly India-supporting capacity crowd of more than 24,000.

Sharma also shared a second-wicket stand of 138 with India captain Virat Kohli, whose 66 was the star batsman’s fifth successive fifty of this World Cup.

But Kohli fell when he sliced Liam Plunkett to backward point.

Sharma went to three figures, after scores of 122 not out against South Africa and 140 against Pakistan, in 106 balls with 15 fours.

But the pressure of the chase told when he was caught behind off a Woakes off-cutter to leave India 198-3 in the 37th over.

Rishabh Pant made 32 at better than a run-a-ball and it looked as if he had hit the first six of the innings only for Woakes, running round from deep backward square, to hold a brilliant diving catch.