England defeated India by four wickets in the second ODI at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Thursday, keeping the three-match series alive with a commanding chase. Joe Root held the innings together with an unbeaten 99 as England reached the 234-run target with 35 balls remaining.

The result means the series is now level at 1-1 after India had claimed a six-wicket victory in the opening ODI at Birmingham. The decider will be played at Lord’s on Sunday.

Also Read | Is Rohit Sharma set to retire from ODIs? Report says England series could be his last

Joe Root guides England to comfortable victory

England chose to bowl first after winning the toss, a decision that paid off as India were dismissed for 233 in 44 overs despite being well placed during the middle phase of their innings.

During the chase, Joe Root produced a composed knock, staying unbeaten on 99 to ensure England crossed the finish line without any late drama. His innings provided the stability England needed after India attempted to apply pressure with the ball.

Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer lead India’s batting

Virat Kohli returned to form with a fluent 65 from 66 deliveries, striking eight boundaries during his stay at the crease. The experienced batter looked confident throughout his innings and played several trademark drives that highlighted his timing and control.

Vice-captain Shreyas Iyer also impressed, scoring 66 off 71 balls. He handled England’s short-ball tactics well and reached his half-century with an excellent pull shot for six off Jofra Archer. Together, Kohli and Iyer kept India’s innings on track before the collapse began.

Also Read | Ben Stokes to return for Durham in One-Day Cup as comeback gathers pace

Rohit Sharma’s lean run continues

While Kohli looked comfortable, Rohit Sharma found it difficult to build momentum. The opener managed 26 runs from 47 balls and struggled to rotate the strike during his stay at the crease.

Rohit endured a long stretch without scoring freely and never looked settled against England’s attack. He was eventually dismissed after mistiming a lap sweep off Will Jacks, with Jos Buttler completing the catch.

Rohit Sharma
ZOOM IMAGE
Rohit Sharma during India’s 2nd ODI against England | X [BCCI]

India captain Shubman Gill also failed to convert his start after falling to Gus Atkinson, while Ishan Kishan’s difficult tour continued with another low score.

India’s middle-order collapse costs visitors

India appeared to be in a strong position at 178 for 3 inside 32 overs before losing wickets in quick succession. The innings unravelled rapidly as four wickets fell for just 15 runs in only 26 deliveries.

Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Shivam Dube all departed cheaply, leaving India unable to recover. From a platform that promised a competitive finish, the visitors were bowled out for 233 with six overs left unused.

Archer leads England’s bowling attack

Jofra Archer produced another impressive spell, finishing with figures of 3 for 47 from his 10 overs. His pace and bounce troubled India’s batters throughout the innings, including the key wicket of Kohli.

Gus Atkinson also picked up three wickets, returning 3 for 50, while Saqib Mahmood claimed 2 for 52 to ensure England kept India under pressure after the middle overs.

With the series now tied at one win each, both teams will head to Lord’s for the deciding third ODI, where the winner will claim the series.

FAQs

Who won the second ODI between India and England?

England defeated India by four wickets in the second ODI at Cardiff to level the three-match series 1-1.

How many runs did Joe Root score in the second ODI?

Joe Root remained unbeaten on 99 and anchored England’s successful chase against India.