COLOMBO (Reuters) - India, led by a superb unbeaten 78 from Virat Kohli, kept their Twenty20 World Cup hopes alive with an empathic eight-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan in the Super Eights on Sunday.

India dismissed their neighbours for a paltry 128 with Lakshmipathy Balaji taking three for 22 before Kohli tore into the Pakistan attack in a match-winning knock made off 61 balls.

India's Virat Kohli hits a six watched by Pakistan's Kamran Akmal (L) during the ICC World Twenty20 Super 8 cricket match at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo September 30, 2012. REUTERS/Philip Brown

Kohli, who hit two sixes and nine fours, was supported by Virender Sehwag (29) and Yuvraj Singh with an unbeaten 19 as India cruised home with three overs to spare.

Man-of-the match Kohli, missed on 42 and 64, also bowled Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez and finished with a figures of one for 21 in three overs.

Pakistan, who chose to bat first, were bowled out for 128 in 19.4 overs, Shoaib Malik (28) and Umar Akmal (21) lifting the 2009 winners with a 47-run partnership for the sixth wicket.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuvraj captured two wickets each.

India and South Africa were facing the exit door after Australia's earlier win over the South Africans but India's victory kept Group Two wide open.

Australia look virtually certain to reach the last four and the other three teams all still have a chance of progressing.

(Reporting by Shihar Aneez, editing by Ed Osmond)

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