# Joe Root's Unbeaten 99 Powers England to a Nervy Four-Wicket Win Over India, Series Levelled 1-1

> Joe Root's unbeaten 99 powered England to a four-wicket win over India in the second ODI at Cardiff, levelling the three-match series 1-1.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Cricket · **Published:** 2026-07-16 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/cricket/shataka-se-eka-kadama-dura-rahe-joe-root-phira-bhi-england-ne-india-ke-hatha-se-jita-chhina-li-8234 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** India vs England, ODI series, Joe Root, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Jofra Archer, Cardiff ODI

Joe Root fell agonisingly short of a century but still steered England to a nerve-jangling four-wicket win over India in the second ODI at the Sophia Gardens ground in Cardiff, levelling the three-match series 1-1.

## A shaky start to the chase, then Root takes over
Chasing a target of 234, England's innings began disastrously. Jasprit Bumrah struck in the very first over, sending Ben Duckett back to the pavilion without scoring. Soon after, Prasidh Krishna removed Jacob Bethell for just 4 runs, leaving the hosts reeling early in their chase. It was at this fragile stage that Joe Root, England's most dependable batter, walked out and took charge of the innings. Root anchored one end through the middle overs and eventually finished unbeaten on 99 off 133 balls, an innings built on 9 boundaries. He missed out on his century by just a single run, but the composed, captain-like knock is what ultimately eased England's path to victory.

## Middle-order support and Atkinson's late flourish
Root did not have to carry the chase entirely alone. Captain Harry Brook (16), Sam Curran (26) and Will Jacks (30) all played sensible, watchful innings in the middle order, chipping in with small but crucial contributions that kept the required run rate in check. Right at the death, Gus Atkinson provided the finishing touch, smashing an unbeaten 23 off just 16 balls to take England home. The hosts eventually got over the line at 235 for 6 in 44.1 overs. Among the Indian bowlers, Gurnoor Brar picked up the most wickets with 2, while Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akshar Patel and Shivam Dube took one wicket apiece. With this win, England pulled level at 1-1 in the three-match ODI series, setting up a decider that now promises to be a thrilling, must-win contest for both sides.

## How India's innings folded under pressure
Batting first, India could manage only 233 all out in 44 overs, despite half-centuries from Virat Kohli (65) and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer (66). Kohli's innings brought back memories of his best days in the format, but captain Rohit Sharma (26) looked out of sorts and struggled to find fluency. A lethal spell from Jofra Archer, who returned figures of three wickets for 47 runs in his 10 overs, ripped through India's middle order, with the side losing four wickets inside the space of just 15 runs. Gus Atkinson chipped in with three wickets for 50 runs, while Sakib Mahmood picked up two wickets for 52 runs to round off a disciplined England bowling effort.

## Kohli's classic strokeplay and Iyer's gritty fight
Kohli's 66-ball innings was studded with eight elegant boundaries, the pick of them a back-foot drive off Archer that stood out as the shot of the innings. Rohit, in contrast, faced 47 balls that included nine dot deliveries and eventually gave his wicket away rather easily. It was vice-captain Shreyas Iyer who emerged as the real hero of India's batting effort. He played a fine innings of 71 balls that included five fours and two sixes, standing firm against England's barrage of short deliveries and bringing up his fifty with a six off Archer. However, he found little support from the other end as partners fell around him. Earlier in the match, England captain Harry Brook had won the toss and opted to bowl first.

## Gill's bright start and the Rohit-Kohli stand
Opener Shubman Gill gave India a good start, scoring 31 off 30 balls with six boundaries, while Rohit Sharma kept searching for gaps from the other end without much success. Gill eventually holed out off Atkinson's bowling. After Gill's dismissal, Kohli took very little time to settle in. He played a superb straight drive off Archer followed by a boundary through deep midwicket. When Adil Rashid came on to bowl, Kohli even produced an unusual slog sweep towards the cow corner. Rohit did manage to hit one six off Atkinson, but he never quite found his rhythm and was eventually dismissed by Will Jacks. Before Rohit's dismissal, though, the pair had added 60 runs off 61 balls for the second wicket, a partnership that gave India's innings some early momentum.

## Kishan's technical flaws and the middle-order surrender
Ishan Kishan's technical shortcomings against short and bouncy deliveries were exposed once again, as he could only manage 1 run before losing his wicket to a fairly straightforward bouncer from Sam Curran. Following his dismissal, Kohli and Iyer came together and added a crucial 67 runs for the fourth wicket, steadying India's innings for a while. But it was an extra-bouncing delivery from Jofra Archer that changed the course of the match. The ball took the top edge of Kohli's bat and ballooned into the air, where the fielder stationed at third man completed a simple catch. Iyer looked to be batting in fine touch and appeared to have sharpened his technique against the short ball, but the batters at the other end, Washington Sundar (2), Akshar Patel (1) and Shivam Dube (0), looked completely out of their depth. India's innings unravelled rapidly, slipping to 194 for 7, a slide that dashed any hopes of the team posting a big total and eventually set up England's successful chase.

## Series levelled, decider awaits
India had gone into this match holding a 1-0 lead in the three-game series, but England's four-wicket win at Cardiff pulled the scoreline back to 1-1. The result means the series will now be settled in the third and final ODI, with both sides aware that a single slip could hand their opponents the series. For India, the middle-order fragility exposed by Archer's spell and the repeated struggles of batters against extra bounce will need urgent attention, while England will look to carry forward the calm, composed template that Root and the middle order followed in the chase.

## What this means for you
This result does not move your finances or daily routine, but it has turned the series into a genuine cliffhanger for cricket followers.

- **For cricket fans:** With the series tied 1-1, the third and final ODI is now effectively a decider that fans will not want to miss.
- **For India's team management:** The middle order's struggles against short, bouncy bowling have been exposed and will need fixing before the decider.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. By how many wickets did England win the second ODI?
England beat India by 4 wickets in the second ODI played at the Sophia Gardens ground in Cardiff.

### 2. How many runs did Joe Root score, and how did he miss his century?
Joe Root scored an unbeaten 99 off 133 balls with 9 fours, falling just one run short of a century.

### 3. What is the score in the three-match ODI series now?
The series is now level at 1-1, with the decider to be played in the third and final ODI.

### 4. Who took the most wickets for India in this match?
Gurnoor Brar was India's most successful bowler with 2 wickets, while Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akshar Patel and Shivam Dube took one wicket each.

### 5. Who were India's top scorers in their innings?
Virat Kohli scored 65 runs and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer scored 66 runs, the two top contributors for India.

### 6. Who was England's most dangerous bowler in the match?
Jofra Archer took three wickets for 47 runs in his 10 overs and tore through India's middle order.

### 7. Who won the toss and what was the decision?
England captain Harry Brook won the toss and chose to bowl first.

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