England outclassed India by six wickets in the second ODI of the three match series in Cardiff. After being invited to bat first, India managed only 233 runs in 44 overs before being bowled out. Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer scored superb half-centuries. Jofra Archer (3/47 in 10 overs) was the most successful bowler for England, while Gus Atkinson also claimed three wickets.
In reply, England lost a few early wickets, but Joe Root anchored the innings with a composed 99 off 133 balls. He missed out on a century by just one run but guided England to victory with 35 balls to spare. With this win, England levelled the series 1-1.
Root Anchors England After Top-Order Collapse
England made a disastrous start to their chase. Ben Duckett edged the very first ball from Jasprit Bumrah to wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan, who was keeping wickets in place of the ill KL Rahul. Jacob Bethell also failed as an opener for the second straight match. Prasidh Krishna dismissed him for just four after extracting extra bounce.
Captain Harry Brook then played another reckless innings. He struggled against India’s fast bowlers, absorbed several blows and looked uncomfortable throughout his stay at the crease.
Brook attempted risky shots instead of rebuilding the innings. His struggles ended when Gurnoor Brar dismissed him for 16 after another failed ramp shot. England slipped to 53 for 3, putting India firmly in control.
Root Holds the Chase Together
Root walked in early and immediately calmed England’s innings. Knowing the required run rate remained below five an over, he focused on rotating the strike and building partnerships instead of taking unnecessary risks.
He scored only five runs from his first 20 balls but gradually settled in. He reached his half-century from 76 deliveries and once again showed why he remains England’s most reliable batter in pressure situations. The innings marked his 67th ODI score of fifty or more and his fifth consecutive fifty-plus score.
Important Partnerships Keep England on Course
Root first shared a valuable 41-run partnership with Sam Curran, who made 26 before Shivam Dube dismissed him. Jos Buttler then contributed 17 but threw away his wicket after trying to attack Axar Patel.
Will Jacks added an important 30 runs and helped Root keep England ahead of the required rate. Although Jacks took time to settle, he played a useful supporting role before Rohit Sharma caught him at extra cover. Root remained composed despite losing partners at regular intervals.
Atkinson Finishes the Job
With only 37 runs needed from the final 10 overs, Root and Gus Atkinson ensured there were no further scares. They carefully negotiated Jasprit Bumrah’s final spell before attacking the remaining bowlers.
Atkinson remained unbeaten on 23 and hit the winning runs as England completed the chase with four wickets in hand. Root finished unbeaten on 99, just one run short of a deserved century.
Kohli and Iyer Rescue India After Early Wobbles
Earlier, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer carried India's batting after another inconsistent performance from the top order. Captain Shubman Gill gave India a positive start with 31 before Gus Atkinson dismissed him.
Kohli then looked in excellent touch. He struck elegant boundaries all around the ground and reached his 78th ODI half-century with fluent strokeplay. He scored 65 and shared a 67-run partnership with Iyer, who added a fighting 66.
Apart from those two batters, no Indian player made a significant contribution as England's bowlers kept taking wickets. India were eventually bowled out for 233 in just 44 overs.
Archer Stars With the Ball
Jofra Archer produced another impressive spell for England. Although he went wicketless during the Powerplay, he returned strongly in the closing overs to finish with 3 for 47.
His biggest breakthrough came when he dismissed Kohli after forcing a leading edge that carried to Adil Rashid. Archer then struck twice in successive deliveries by removing Axar Patel and Shivam Dube, leaving India under pressure. Gus Atkinson also impressed with 3 for 50, while Saqib Mahmood picked up two wickets.
India Miss Chance to Post Bigger Total
India could have posted a much stronger score. England dropped Shreyas Iyer when he was on 25, while Rohit Sharma also received a lifeline after Gus Atkinson spilled a catch at deep fine leg.
However, Rohit failed to capitalise and managed only 26 before Jos Buttler completed the catch off Archer. Late hitting from Jasprit Bumrah, who remained unbeaten on 20, helped India cross the 230-run mark, but the total proved below par on a good batting surface.