Birmingham: Hosts and pre-tournament favourites England raised their game when it mattered the most and edged out India in a contest that ebbed and flowed throughout an eventful day at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground here on Sunday. With the crucial win, Eoin Morgan’s charges kept their semi-final hopes alive with one match to play, while for India—it ended their unbeaten streak.
Mohammed Shami claimed his maiden five-wicket-haul in ODIs but it was eclipsed by Bairstow’s century, and Roy and Ben Stokes’ fifties, leaving India a daunting 338 to chase down.
India responded inspiringly through another Rohit Sharma century—his third of the tournament but a slow start—fashioned by Chris Woakes’ tidy opening spell—and Virat Kohli’s failure to covert yet another fifty into a hundred stifled India. England hit 13 sixes. India, just one—in the final over.
Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya tried hard. MS Dhoni remained unbeaten on 42 off 31. But the asking rate was way too much, and England’s bowling just that good. In the end, India finished on 306-5, falling short by 31 runs and will have to wait before they secure a semi-final spot.
After England opted to bat. Roy and Bairstow put up their ninth century-plus stand in ODIs, adding 160 in just 22 overs. It allowed England to dominate with Bairstow scoring his eighth ODI ton. India clawed their way back in the middle overs, with Shami’s three-wicket burst but Stokes’ 79 off 56 gave England a late push.
From the moment Roy crunched a couple of boundaries in the first over, England’s confidence seemed to return. Despite not being fully fit, he noticeably not sprinting between the wickets, Roy turned to what he’s best at, attack.
Roy welcomed Chahal with back-to-back boundaries and pounded Pandya for a six and four off his first over. Kuldeep was drilled down the wicket and Roy’s fifty was raised off 41 balls. India were unlucky not to get Roy’s wicket. Off Pandya, Roy executed a loose pull which went to MS Dhoni and was given a wide. India did not go for the review although there was a spike depicting the ball had brushed the glove.
Kuldeep’s first four cost 46 but Kohli persisted with him and the move resulted in India’s first breakthrough with substitute Ravindra Jadeja taking a spectacular catch diving forward at long-on. Bairstow dished out a pasting to Chahal and Kuldeep, and brought up his hundred with a six.
Timely wickets
England were motoring along before Shami returned and struck to remove Bairstow—a slap to deep backward point. Shami picked up his second wicket in two overs by bouncing out Morgan. England went 10 overs without a boundary and Shami’s crippling third spell read 3-1-3-2. India’s worst bowler of the day was Chahal and Stokes took him on.
Stiff target
Needing almost seven an over, India lost KL Rahul for a nine-ball duck with Woakes bowling three straight maidens. Even with Rohit and Kohli, the initial phase remained a struggle. The variable bounce of the surface in the first 10 overs itself made the going challenging for both batsmen. To India’s credit, no harm was done although Kohli and Rohit chalked out the lowest Powerplay score of the tournament.
Pant’s cameo
Pant had an adventurous start. Off his first three balls, Pant survived getting run out twice and an LBW shout but managed to roll his way to 32 off 29.
England, in the end, could heave a sigh of relief, while for the likes of Pakistan and Bangladesh-the task of making the World Cup last four became bit trickier.
