Root's 99 sets up Lord's decider for Sky Sports
Joe Root's unbeaten 99 secured a four-wicket England win to level the ODI series against India, guaranteeing a commercially valuable deciding match for broadcaster Sky Sports.
Joe Root scored an unbeaten 99 to guide England to a four-wicket victory over India in Cardiff, leveling the three-match one-day international series at 1-1. The result ensures a high-stakes decider at Lord's on Sunday, maximizing the broadcast value of the series for Sky Sports and its contract-free streaming platform NOW. Maintaining the series alive through this victory preserves public interest heading into the weekend.
India looked set for a large total after a 67-run partnership between Virat Kohli, who scored 65 off 66 balls, and Shreyas Iyer, who made 66 off 71. However, England's pace attack triggered a collapse of seven wickets for just 55 runs. Jofra Archer, who took 3-47, and Gus Atkinson, with 3-50, restricted India to 234 all out with six overs remaining.
Chasing 234, England's innings faltered immediately. Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Ben Duckett with the first ball of the match, and Jacob Bethell fell shortly after to leave the hosts at 8-2. The dismissals of Sam Curran and Jos Buttler later left England in a precarious position at 125-5 after 25 overs.
Root anchored the recovery, putting on a 72-run stand with Will Jacks, who scored 30. He ultimately saw England to their target alongside Atkinson, who scored 23 not out, with 5.5 overs to spare.
The victory ends a six-game ODI losing streak for England against India. England's series-opening defeat at Edgbaston was attributed to a shortage of seamers, a deficiency addressed directly by the performances of Archer and Atkinson in Cardiff.
Root missed his 62nd international century by a single run, which would have tied him with South Africa's Jacques Kallis. "In those conditions, on that pitch, to be there at the end and get the job done is probably the best feeling you can get in cricket," said Root, who was named Player of the Match.
"I was left on 99 but that is not what you play for. You play to win games and this series is very much alive," Root said. "Sometimes you need to win scrappy and ugly and we now go to Lord's with everything to play for."
