Jonny Bairstow celebrates after scoring his eighth ODI century
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
England opener Jonny Bairstow smashed a superb 111 as England defeated India by 31 runs in their World Cup clash at Edgbaston.
England’s victory kept their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup semi-finals alive, while India suffered their first loss in the tournament.
Choosing to bat first, England got off to a magnificent start as Bairstow and Jason Roy amassed a 160-run partnership, during which both batsmen raced past their half-centuries.
Roy ended up making a 57-ball 66, which included seven boundaries and two sixes, before he was dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav.
Bairstow went on to score 111, which came off 109 deliveries and included 10 boundaries and six sixes, before he was caught by Rishabh Pant at deep point off the bowling of Mohammed Shami.
Shami then took out England captain Eoin Morgan before Joe Root and Ben Stokes stabilised the innings with a 70-run stand.
Root mustered 44 runs before he was caught by Hardik Pandya at fine leg off the bowling of Shami.
Shami proceeded to remove Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes to complete his five-for.
Mohammed Shami finished with career-best figures of 5-69 off his 10 overs
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
But, with Stokes going on to score a 54-ball 79, which included six boundaries and three sixes, England finished on 337/7.
Shami was the pick of the bowlers with five wickets, while Kuldeep and Jasprit Bumrah chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Chasing 338 to win, India were dealt an early blow as opener Lokesh Rahul was caught and bowled by Woakes for a duck.
Rohit Sharma and India skipper Virat Kohli made up for the loss of Rahul with a 138-run partnership, during which both batsmen surpassed their fifties, before Kohli was removed by Liam Plunkett for 66, which came off 76 balls and included seven boundaries.
Rohit and Pant added 52 runs to the score, during which Rohit brought up his hundred, before he was caught behind off the bowling of Woakes for 102, which came off 109 balls and included 15 boundaries.
Rohit Sharma’s 25th ODI hundred went in vain
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Pant went on to score 32 before he was brilliantly caught by Woakes off the bowling of Plunkett.
Pandya hammered a 33-ball 45 before he became Plunkett’s third victim.
Even though MS Dhoni scored an unbeaten 42, India ended up falling well short of their target as they finished on 306/5.
Plunkett was the most successful bowler with three wickets, while Woakes claimed two.
Bairstow was named Man of the Match.