Root guides England to series-levelling win over India in Cardiff

CARDIFF: Joe Root made an unbeaten 99 as England recovered from an early collapse to beat India by four wickets in the second one-day international on Thursday, drawing the three-match series level at 1-1.

England completed the chase of 234 with 35 balls to spare at Sophia Gardens after slipping to 0-1 off the first ball of the innings, when Ben Duckett was caught behind off Jasprit Bumrah. The hosts were soon 8-2 and later 125-5 on what was described as a two-paced pitch, but Root once again anchored the innings to carry England home and set up a decider at Lord’s on Sunday against the world’s top-ranked ODI side.

The former England captain faced 133 balls and struck nine fours. He fell one short of what would have been his 21st ODI hundred when the recalled Gus Atkinson finished the chase by pulling Prasidh Krishna for four.

Speaking after being named player of the match, Root said the circumstances of the innings made the finish especially satisfying.

In those conditions, on that pitch, to be there at the end and get the job done is probably the best feeling you can get in cricket,

He added:

(I was left on 99) but that is not what you play for. You play to win games and this series is very much alive,

England had arrived in Wales having lost 14 of their previous 20 ODIs. Root also said:

Sometimes you need to win scrappy and ugly and we now go to Lord's with everything to play for,

England recover after top-order wobble

Jacob Bethell edged a lifting delivery from Krishna to wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan after Duckett’s first-ball dismissal, while captain Harry Brook fell attempting a scoop. Sam Curran made 22 before being caught by Kishan standing up to the stumps off Shivam Dube, leaving England in further trouble at 94-4.

Root reached his half-century from 76 balls, his second fifty in three days after making 76 not out in India’s six-wicket victory in the opening match at Edgbaston on Tuesday. He found support from Will Jacks, but Jacks was out for 30 after backing away and hitting paceman Gurnoor Brar straight to extra cover. With England 197-6, India briefly sensed an opening again before Root and Atkinson saw the hosts through.

Archer leads bowling turnaround

Earlier, Jofra Archer spearheaded an improved England bowling display with figures of 3-47 after Brook won the toss. India looked set for a total beyond 300 when they moved to 104-1 and Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer were well established at the crease.

Kohli scored 65 and Iyer made 66, but England’s use of the short ball shifted the momentum. India, who were 178-3 at one stage, lost their last seven wickets for 55 runs and were bowled out for 233 with six overs left unused.

India captain Shubman Gill, who made 31 after scoring 80 in the first ODI at Edgbaston, said his side had let a stronger position slip.

It was quite disappointing. We thought 300, 310 would be a good total after 25 overs but we lost too many wickets in the middle overs,

Kohli, who has already retired from Test and T20 international cricket, could be making his final appearance for India in Britain in this series. He reached a run-a-ball fifty by driving Curran straight for four as chants of Kohli, Kohli, Kohli rang around the ground. Iyer, who had earlier been dropped on 25, later struck leg-spinner Adil Rashid for a straight six.

England removed Kohli when a top edge off Archer was caught by Rashid at third man, and Archer then struck with successive deliveries to leave India 193-7.