Cricket World Cup: England end India's unbeaten run

Sports Sunday 30/June/2019 21:38 PM
By: Times News Service
Cricket World Cup: England end India's unbeaten run

London: England finally saw the back of India captain Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma at Edgbaston on Sunday in a match they had to win in order to keep control of their bid for a World Cup semi-final place.

England left India with a stiff target of 338 and then removed opener KL Rahul for a duck when Chris Woakes held a caught and bowled chance. Kohli duly completed his fifth successive fifty of the tournament and with Rohit Sharma, dropped on four, shared a second-wicket partnership of 138.

But just as the duo were upping the run-rate, Kohli sliced recalled paceman Liam Plunkett to substitute fielder James Vince, deputising for Jason Roy, at backward point. Rohit Sharma, however, should have been dismissed when he edged fast bowler Jofra Archer's fourth ball, only for Joe Root to drop the regulation catch at second slip.

Rohit finally fell to Chris Woakes after scoring a gritty century, his third of World Cup 2019. Earlier, Jonny Bairstow hit a hundred and Stokes added a blistering 79 in England's 337-7. Bairstow made 111, while fellow opener Jason Roy more than justified his recall after missing three matches with a torn hamstring by making 66 in a first-wicket stand of 160 after England captain Eoin Morgan won the toss on a good pitch.