Root guides England to series-leveling win

Leading into the second ODI between India and England here in Cardiff, history at the Sophia Gardens — both recent and distant — had favored the chasing team. Eight of the previous 12 ODIs, including four of the last four, were won by sides batting second.

For a brief while on Thursday, India threatened to upend it as Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna dismissed openers Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell with just eight runs on the board in a 234-run pursuit.

But things soon regressed to the mean as Joe Root scored an unbeaten 99 (133b, 9×4) to carry England to a four-wicket, series-leveling success.

Root was on 98 when the hosts still needed 19 runs. But Gus Atkinson (23 n.o., 16b, 3×4, 1×6) scored a lion’s share of those to usher in the win with nearly six overs to spare. The decider will be played at Lord’s in London this Sunday.

When Duckett edged the first ball to wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan – who replaced an ill K.L. Rahul in the XI – and Bethell was also caught behind after being pinned on the back foot by Prasidh, the large diaspora audience that had assembled smelt a close contest.

When skipper Harry Brook, who was all action during his 16-ball stay for 16 runs, perished trying one scoop too many, those hopes heightened.

But Root, after surviving a few testing overs early on, blunted the Indian attack with a perfect illustration of how to grind out a result.

If a 41-run fourth-wicket partnership with Sam Curran (26, 31b, 4×4) stabilized proceedings, the 72-run association with Will Jacks (30, 44b, 2×4) for the sixth wicket brought England to the doorstep of victory.

A rush of blood cost Jack as he slapped a short-of-length delivery from Gurnoor Brar to cover. Shubman Gill brought Bumrah for one last roll of the dice, but it was not to be.

Earlier, after being asked to bat first, the Indian top-three made more than half the runs, and there was precious little from the rest except Shreyas Iyer, who top-scored with 66 (71b, 5×4, 2×4).

Four of the top six – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Kishan and Washington Sundar – fell playing cross-batted strokes and across the line.