Rohit Sharma-led Indian team continued their supreme run in the ongoing edition of World Cup and defeated England by 100 runs in Lucknow on Sunday (29 Oct.). 

Leading the team from the front, Rohit scored 87 off 101 balls, helping India pile a respectable 221/9 on a tricky surface. England in response failed to resist the Indian attack spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah. 

The tourists were bundled up for 129 in 34.5 overs.

England were on the money after captain Jos Buttler won the toss and chose to bowl first, limiting India to a score of 229/9 in 50 overs at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium on Sunday. 

While they got off to a good start in the chase, Jasprit Bumrah got Dawid Malan and Joe Root off consecutive balls at the end of his third over to put the breaks on their progress. Mohammad Shami then joined the party and removed Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow in his first two overs.

Kuldeep Yadav then cleaned up Jos Buttler with a jaffa and Shami removed Moeen Ali in the first ball of his returning spell.

Earlier, while Rohit got India off to a quick start, they lost wickets frequently at the other end, with even the in-form Virat Kohli falling for a duck for the first time in a World Cup match. KL Rahul then gave Rohit able company and led a bit of a recovery from India. 

Rohit did the bulk of the scoring in the partnership and in the process, he crossed 18,000 international runs and scored another half-century as well. 

The stand ended on 91 with Rahul falling to David Willey in the 31st over. Suryakumar Yadav then came in and put up 33 for the fifth wicket with Rohit but the latter fell 13 runs short of his century. 

Ravindra Jadeja left soon thereafter and SKY was left to try and provide India with a good finish while batting with the long tail. He did it to a certain extent but Suryakumar ended up falling one run short of his half-century. Bumrah and Kuldeep then got India to within a run of 230. 

Source - The Hindustan Times

- Agencies