3rd ODI: Joe Root, Eoin Morgan Star As England Seal 2-1 Series Win vs India

An unbeaten 186-run partnership between Joe Root and Eoin Morgan powered England to an eight-wicket victory over India in the third and final ODI at Headingley, Leeds on Tuesday. The win ended India's nine consecutive bilateral ODI series winning-run as England clinched the three-match series 2-1 despite losing the opening ODI. Morgan, winning the toss, elected to field as the English bowlers produced a disciplined bowling performance to restrict the hosts to 256 for eight in 50 overs. India captain Virat Kohli top scored for India with 71 runs. In reply, England overhauled the target in just 44.3 overs with Joe Root unbeaten on 100 and skipper Eoin Morgan 88 not out.

England got to a flying start, courtesy Jonny Bairstow's 30 off 13 balls. However, his stay in the middle was cut short by Shardul Thakur and India got a much-needed breakthrough. Following which James Vince, the other opener, was run out for 27 runs.

Root and Morgan, the new batsmen in, steadied the English innings by keeping the scoreboard ticking. Indian spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Chahal, unlike the English spinning duo of Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali, could not make any impact as England slowly inched towards the target.

Earlier, bowlers David Willey and Adil Rashid took three wickets apiece on their Yorkshire home ground to restrict India to a modest total. Left-arm quick Willey took three for 40 in his nine overs and leg-spinner Rashid three for 49 in his maximum 10.

Rashid's haul included two wickets for two runs in six balls as he dismissed both India captain Virat Kohli, who top-scored with 71, and Suresh Raina in the 31st over.

MS Dhoni, criticised for slow scoring during England's 86-run win at Lord's on Saturday that levelled the three-match series at 1-1, made 42 off 66 balls.

But when he was out, caught behind after being squared up by Willey, it meant India had to play out the final 4.1 overs of their innings without a recognised batsman at the crease. 

It was not until the penultimate over that India hit their first sixes of the innings, with tailender Shardul Thakur twice pulling Ben Stokes high over square leg.

Thakur made a valuable 22 not out off 13 balls and together with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (21) -- another of the three changes to India's side at Lord's -- added 35 before his fellow paceman holed out off Willey's final ball of the innings.

After England captain Eoin Morgan won the toss, India initially found runs hard to come against accurate bowling from Mark Wood (one for 30 in 10) and Willey, who were given some early assistance by overhead cloud cover.

It took the normally fluent Rohit Sharma, who scored a superb century during India's eight-wicket win in the series-opener at Trent Bridge, 18 balls to score two runs.

His Headingley innings ended when, with a rare attacking shot, he flicked Willey off his pads to Wood at deep square leg.

But the introduction of fast bowler Liam Plunkett, one of five Yorkshire players in England's XI, helped India break the shackles.

Shikhar Dhawan struck three fours in as many balls of Plunkett s the bowler's first two overs cost an expensive 21 runs.

England then missed a chance to dismiss Kohli when the India captain, on 23, edged a drive against off-spinner Moeen Ali only for wicket-keeper Jos Buttler to drop a difficult catch.

But England did break a stand of 71 in 12 overs thanks to excellent work by Ben Stokes.

Kohli whipped Ali wide of Stokes at midwicket and set off for a single before raising his hand in warning to Dhawan, who was well down the pitch.

Dhawan turned back but, stretching out, could not beat Stokes's direct hit and was run out for 44.

Dinesh Karthik, preferred to KL Rahul for this match, then made 21 from 22 balls before he was bowled between bat and pad by Rashid going for a booming drive.

Kohli pressed on, however, completing a 55-ball fifty including six fours before Rashid struck twice in quick succession as India's 156 for three was transformed into 158 for five.

Kohli's innings ended when he was bowled by a superb leg-break from Rashid that pitched on leg stump and hit off.

A disbelieving Kohli walked off and Suresh Raina (one) then turned Rashid low to Rashid's Yorkshire team-mate Joe Root at leg slip.

(With AFP Inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team England Cricket Team Joe Root Eoin Morgan England vs India, 2018 Cricket England vs India, 3rd ODI