On a balmy evening in Cuttack, India clinched a thrilling victory against England in the second One Day International (ODI) of their series, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead. The match, played on Sunday (Feb 09), at the Barabati Stadium, was a testament to India's resilience and strategic gameplay in pressure situations.
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| Image Credits: ESPN Cricinfo |
England, batting first, posted a challenging total of 304 runs, thanks to a solid batting performance led by Joe Root's 69 and a brisk 65 from Ben Duckett. The Indian bowling attack, spearheaded by Ravindra Jadeja, who claimed 3 wickets for 35 runs in 10 overs, managed to keep England's score in check, preventing them from running away with the game after a great start.
In response, India's chase was marked by an explosive innings from captain Rohit Sharma, who smashed 119 off just 90 balls, setting the tone for the innings. Support came from Shubman Gill, who played a crucial knock of 60, and Shreyas Iyer, contributing with a steady 44. The middle and lower order showed great composure, navigating through the tricky phases of the game, especially after a few quick wickets fell.
Emerging all-rounder Axar Patel who batted up the order at no. 5 remained unbeaten on 41* as India chased down the target with 4 wickets and 33 balls to spare. Indian captain Rohit Sharma who scored his 32nd century in this format has been adjudged as the Player of the Match.
Brief Scores: India - 308/6 in 44.3 overs (Rohit Sharma - 119, Jamie Overton - 2/27) defeated England - 304 all out in 49.5 overs (Joe Root - 69, Ravindra Jadeja - 3/35) by a margin of 4 wickets with 33 balls to spare
