England triumphed over India by four wickets in the second One Day International at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, on Thursday, 16 July 2026, to level the three-match series. The victory sets up a dramatic decider at Lord's on Sunday. Despite a challenging start to their chase, England successfully reached their target of 234 with 35 balls to spare, largely thanks to an outstanding, albeit century-less, innings from Joe Root.
Root, who had been stranded on 76 in England's opening loss at Edgbaston on Tuesday, once again found himself just shy of a personal milestone, finishing on 99 not out. His composed batting was crucial for England, who had stumbled to 125 for five at one point. The Yorkshireman's efforts were ultimately rewarded when Gus Atkinson struck the winning boundary, sparking celebrations from the English camp.
India, after winning the toss and electing to bat, posted a total of 233 all out. Despite a strong foundation laid by Shreyas Iyer (66) and Virat Kohli (65), their innings faltered dramatically, with the last seven wickets falling for just 55 runs. England's pacemen Jofra Archer, who claimed three for 47, and Gus Atkinson, with three for 50, were instrumental in restricting the Indian total.
England's chase began disastrously, with openers Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell falling quickly, reducing the team to eight for two. Harry Brook and Sam Curran made contributions, but it was Root who anchored the innings. Despite losing partners at regular intervals, including Will Jacks for 30, Root maintained his composure. The required run rate remained manageable, and Atkinson's unbeaten 23 ensured Root's remarkable performance did not go in vain.
This victory marks a significant turnaround for England, who had been struggling for form, having lost 14 of their previous 20 ODI matches. Their strong record at Sophia Gardens, with 10 wins in 14 completed games, proved to be a good omen. The series now moves to London for the final match, promising an exciting conclusion for cricket fans across the UK.