India defeated England on a sweltering Sunday in Cuttack, taking an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. India defeated England by four wickets in 44.3 overs at the Barabati Stadium, chasing 305 runs.
The victory was set up by India skipper Rohit Sharma, who returned to form with a spectacular century.
Rohit Sharma smashed a 76-ball hundred
Rohit’s stunning inning of 119 runs off 90 balls had the Cuttack audience on its feet, which had gathered in large numbers to watch the first ODI match at the venue since 2019.
Chants of ‘Rohit, Rohit’ resonated through the stands as India’s captain hit 12 boundaries and seven towering sixes in the 305-run chase.
Rohit’s first century since March 2024 (against England in Tests) not only wowed the Cuttack audience, but also allayed doubts about his international form.
Rohit had been struggling, scoring 166 runs in his last 16 innings. The India captain, determined to improve his fortunes, dug deep early in the innings and was rewarded for his efforts.
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Batting first, England put up 304 on board
On Sunday in Cuttack, Jos Buttler’s England squad had their greatest batting effort to far. England began brightly, then dug in and attacked India in the final five overs of their innings to surpass 300 runs for the first time in the white-ball series.
Kevin Pietersen criticized the English team at the mid-innings break for failing to turn their fifties into big runs. Pietersen went on an epic diatribe against the hitters for being content with ODI scores of 50s and 60s.
According to Pietersen, each great ODI side must have a couple of hitters who can play the long game and turn their starts into triple figures. The former player was upset with Ben Duckett, who threw away his wicket after making a quick 65 on Sunday.
And it shows how awful they must have been, as India chased down the mark in 44.3 overs with four wickets in hand.
