New Delhi (Nilesh Tiwari): Under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, India blitzed its way to a comfortable four-wicket victory over England in Sunday’s second one-day international. This ensured India an unchallengeable lead in the three-match series at 2-0. This has been India’s eighth successive success over England in a bilateral one-day international series.
He helped India cross the 305-run hurdle with his 32nd ODI century off his last delivery: Rohit Sharma (119, 90b, 12×4, 7×6). Hosts finished at 308 for six in 44.3 overs. To join Rahul Dravid at 48 international centuries, Rohit also registered his 49.
“Hitman” also contributed to a disappointing 136-run partnership with his opening partner Shubman Gill (60, 52, 9×4, 1×6), the sixth time they had formed a partnership of 100 runs or more.
The half-centuries made by Ben Duckett (65, 56b, 10×4) and seasoned batsman Joe Root (69, 72b, 6×4) had brought England to a total of 304 all out. England decided to bat and Duckett and Root along with captain Jos Buttler (34 off 35 balls) put in a nice platform.
The best bowling for India came from the left-arm spinner, Ravindra Jadeja who took 3 for 35. England, at 200/3 after 35 overs, was indeed looking very promising for a total of more than 330 when Jadeja slowed them down to a standstill with some tough bowling that made them miss extra 15-20 runs.
England were never going to be in trouble at all to reach 300 without Liam Livingstone’s 41 off 32 balls, 2×4, 2×6, and Adil Rashid’s lusty five-ball 14, that featured three consecutive boundaries off Mohammed Shami. However, they ended up losing the match by one ball remaining in the allotted overs as three run-outs in the last two overs decided the fate.
Since 2011, a first innings total here has exceeded 350 only on average. So, that makes this the smallest total in the match here. Duckett was going all too well until Jade’s tactics undid him when he succumbed to luring with a wide delivery outside his striking arc that the left-hander mishit straight to mid-on.
Jadeja slowed it down and tossed up, and Root, for the fifth time in ODIs, holed out to Kohli at deep extra cover. Jadeja dismissed Jamie Overton in the penultimate ball, who tried to create some space but ended up sky-highing it to Shubman Gill at cover, ending his stint.
