London, July 19 (IANS) Rohit Sharma’s magnificent 138, also the first ODI hundred by an Indian batter at Lord’s went in vain as clinical England defeated India by 27 runs in a high-scoring thriller on Sunday to clinch the three-match ODI series 2-1.
Chasing a whopping target of 388, India mounted a spirited challenge but ultimately finished at 360/7 as England executed a disciplined death-bowling display to seal a well-earned victory. Apart from Rohit’s 138, laced with 17 fours and five sixes, skipper Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli hit 77 and 74 respectively.
The primary difference between the two sides lay in England’s explosive finish with the bat, where they plundered a decisive 82 runs from the final five overs, with Jos Buttler hitting 41 of those in just 13 balls and a game-changing post-30th-over spell from young Jacob Bethell.
With his part-time left-arm spin, Bethell turned the match on its head by delivering an economical seven-over spell, conceding just 49 runs and claiming the prized scalp of Rohit, as India went from a commanding 260/1 to 329/7. Apart from Bethell, Sam Curran stood out with his clever slower balls to strangle India’s charge and end up with 4-75.
India’s chase began with Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson testing both Gill and Rohit. Gill suffered an uncomfortable blow to his right arm from an Atkinson delivery in the second over but recovered quickly to smash Archer for a beautiful cover drive for India’s first boundary in the next over.
Rohit took time to settle before breaking the shackles in the sixth over with a streaky boundary over slip off Atkinson. He then launched an aggressive assault on first-change bowler Josh Tongue in the eighth over – hammering two consecutive boundaries and a colossal pull shot for a six to pick up 14 runs.
The introduction of Sam Curran yielded more runs for India as Gill brought up India’s 50-run mark in the 11th over, while Rohit pulled another short delivery over the square leg boundary for his second six.
Gill looked in sublime touch, greeting leg-spinner Adil Rashid with a brilliant inside-out boundary over extra cover before comfortably reaching his half-century in 53 balls and followed it up with a majestic cover drive against Atkinson in the 16th over.
After the first drinks break, Rohit and Gill brought up India’s century of the opening partnership in the 19th over off Rashid, marking the first instance of both teams recording a century-run opening stand in an ODI at this venue.
Gill looked in superb touch, cutting off-spinner Will Jacks through point for a boundary before executing a massive six over deep mid-wicket in the 22nd over, though he immediately required medical attention for cramps.
At the other end, Rohit launched a calculated assault – moving across his stumps to paddle consecutive boundaries off Atkinson to fine leg and get his fifty in style. He then targetted Archer and Adil Rashid by his trademark sweep and pull shots to pick up regular boundaries.
The formidable 147-run opening stand was finally broken in the 25th over when Gill missed a slider while trying to sweep Rashid and was trapped lbw, which was confirmed by DRS. Virat Kohli quickly found his rhythm, drilling Rashid straight back down the ground for a boundary before carting Archer through the leg-side for another four.
With a century in sight, Rohit turned ferocious in the 29th over against Josh Tongue – clearing his front foot to pump a slot ball over cow corner for a six, and followed it up by smoking a slower delivery straight down the ground into the stands for back-to-back maximums.
Rohit answered his critics in emphatic fashion by slog-sweeping Rashid for four and bring up his 34th ODI century off just 85 balls – letting his bat do the talking and quash intense end of career speculations.
Amidst Kohli suffering a slowdown, Rohit was effective in smashing Sam Curran and left-arm spinner Jacob Bethell for regular boundaries. In the process, Rohit’s 138 became the highest individual ODI score by an Indian batsman against England in their own backyard.
The spectacular 70-run second-wicket partnership was finally broken in the 39th over when Rohit, after launching Bethell for a towering six over deep mid-wicket, attempted a sweep against a straight arm ball, but missed it completely and was clean bowled, and while walking back, he got a standing ovation from the Lord’s crowd.
With Ishan Kishan joining in, Kohli remained steady and rotated strike cautiously before shifting his gears – getting his fifty in 46 balls by lofting Jacks straight down the ground for six, before whipping him for another maximum.
But Curran got England ahead in the game by having Kishan and Shreyas Iyer caught out in four balls. Once Kohli, who lofted Bethell straight down the ground for six, miscued to cover on a slower ball from Curran, the result was a foregone conclusion – in England’s favour.
Brief Scores: England 387/3 in 50 overs (Ben Duckett 141, Jacob Bethell 91; Prasidh Krishna 2-69, Prince Yadav 1-79) beat India 360/7 in 50 overs (Rohit Sharma 138, Shubman Gill 77; Sam Curran 4-75, Jacob Bethell 1-49) by 27 runs
–IANS
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