CARDIFF, United Kingdom: Joe Root produced a match-winning unbeaten 99 as England defeated India by four wickets in the second one-day international at Sophia Gardens on Thursday, levelling the three-match series at 1-1 ahead of Sunday’s decider at Lord’s.
Chasing a modest target of 234, England recovered from early setbacks to reach 235-6 in 44.1 overs, winning with 35 balls to spare.
Root anchored the innings with a composed 99 not out from 133 deliveries, striking nine fours, but was left stranded one run short of his 21st ODI century when Gus Atkinson hit the winning boundary off Prasidh Krishna.
England had slumped to 94-4 after losing both openers inside the first four overs and Harry Brook for a brisk 16. Root steadied the chase through partnerships with Sam Curran, Jos Buttler and Will Jacks before Atkinson’s unbeaten cameo guided the hosts home.
Root and Curran added 41 runs for the fifth wicket before Buttler contributed to a 31-run stand. Root then shared a crucial 72-run partnership with Jacks, who made 30 from 44 balls before holing out to Virat Kohli at cover.
Atkinson remained unbeaten on 23 from 16 balls as he and Root added an unbroken 38 runs to seal victory.
England bowlers restrict India
Earlier, India were bowled out for 233 in 44 overs after electing to bat.
Virat Kohli top-scored with 65 from 66 balls, while Shreyas Iyer made 66 off 71 deliveries. India appeared well placed at 104-1 in the 18th over and later at 178-3 in the 32nd before suffering a middle-order collapse that saw them lose their remaining wickets for just 55 runs.
Jasprit Bumrah provided late entertainment with an aggressive cameo, striking three fours and a six in a single over to boost India’s total.
England’s pace attack kept India under pressure throughout the innings. Jofra Archer claimed 3-47, while Gus Atkinson took 3-50 and Saqib Mahmood returned figures of 2-52.
For India, Gurnoor Brar picked up two wickets and Prasidh Krishna claimed one, but the visitors were unable to prevent England completing the chase.
Root delighted with team victory
Named Player of the Match, Root said winning the game mattered far more than reaching three figures.
“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,” Root said.
“That’s not what you play for. You play to win games and this series is very much alive.”
He praised England’s all-round performance after recovering from a difficult start.
“It was difficult to bat in the whole game. We did a brilliant job to peg India back and that allowed us to bat time and soak up pressure.”
“Sometimes you need to win scrappy and ugly and we now go to Lord’s with everything to play for.”
Captains reflect on contest
England captain Harry Brook described the victory as highly satisfying.
“Extremely satisfying. I thought we had a really good day,” Brook said.
He highlighted the bowling spell from Will Jacks and Sam Curran, as well as Root’s partnership with Jacks, as key moments in the match.
Asked about Root being left unbeaten on 99, Brook joked: “I’d have definitely been the same as him, he wanted the game over and done with.”
India captain Shubman Gill said his side had failed to build on a promising position.
“I think we were in a really good position at the end of 20-30 overs. We lost too many wickets towards the end of the middle overs,” Gill said.
“We thought 300-310 would be a good total on this wicket. We just couldn’t get the momentum.”
Gill said India remained in the contest until late in England’s chase but acknowledged the visitors were one bowler short.
“We were right in the game until about 35 overs, but we knew we had to keep taking wickets. We were a bowler short with Washington.”
Asked how he would have felt in Root’s position, Gill quipped: “I would not have taken that single in the second to last over!”
England had entered the ODI series after sweeping India 4-0 in the preceding Twenty20 series. The series will now be decided in the third and final match at Lord’s on Sunday.
