Hosts ensure third ODI will be a decider after in-form veteran’s superb guiding hand
Joe Root has finished unbeaten on 99 as England claimed a four-wicket win over India in Cardiff to level their ODI series.
Root was denied his 21st ODI century having made batting look easy after others had both struggled and flattered to deceive, but celebrated Gus Atkinson’s match-winning boundary as if he had claimed his extra run.
The Yorkshireman was not out 76 in India’s opening win at Edgbaston on Tuesday and he again fell short of three figures as England chased down a modest target of 234.
The hosts had slipped to 5-125 but eventually won with 35 balls to spare to take the three-match series to a Lord’s decider on Sunday.
India should have posted a far healthier total with Shreyas Iyer (66) and Virat Kohli (65) providing a solid platform, but their last seven wickets fell for 55 runs as England paceman Jofra Archer (3-47) and Atkinson (3-50) excelled.
Although England were perhaps short on confidence having lost 14 of their previous 20 matches, their ODI record at Sophia Gardens was impressive with 10 wins in 14 completed games.
England were reduced to 2-8 as their chase endured a nightmare start.
Ben Duckett nicked Jasprit Bumrah behind to became the first English opener to get out first ball against India in an ODI and wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan was the grateful beneficiary again as Jacob Bethell edged Prasidh Krishna.
Harry Brook came to grief with an injudicious scoop shot after making a run-a-ball 16 and Kishan claimed a fourth catch standing up to medium-pacer Shivam Dube, with Sam Curran dismissed for 26 having put on 41 with Root.
Jos Buttler dispatched Axar Patel into the River Taff with a straight six but the spinner had the last laugh by bowling him for 17.
With the required run rate around a feasible five per over, the key for England was keeping wickets intact.
The winning line was hovering into view when Will Jacks, having made 30 from 44 balls, slapped Gurnoor Brar to Kohli at extra cover, but Atkinson ensured Root’s typically steadying work would not go to waste with an unbeaten 23.
England had chosen to field after winning the toss with skipper Brook targeting early swing and seam movement at a venue that has often produced 300-plus totals.
Kohli had failed at Edgbaston but ODI cricket’s second-highest run-scorer produced an array of delightful strokes either side of the wicket.
Bumrah provided late, and unexpected, clout to post an unbeaten career-best 20 in his 91st ODI, but Iyer’s departure meant India did not even use six of their 50 overs.
