Rohit Sharma’s Heroics Not Enough As England Clinch ODI Series With 27-Run Win At Lord's

England defeated India by 27 runs in the third and final ODI at Lord’s to seal the three-match series 2-1. Chasing a daunting target of 388, India fought hard through Rohit Sharma’s brilliant 138 and useful half-centuries from Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, but they eventually finished on 360/7.

It was England’s first ODI series win over India since 2018 and also India’s third ODI series defeat under captain Shubman Gill.

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Rohit Leads India’s Chase

India made an excellent start with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill putting together a 147-run opening stand. Rohit began cautiously against the new ball while Gill played the attacking role. Gill brought up his fifty in 53 balls but struggled with cramps soon after, which affected his scoring. He was eventually trapped lbw for 77 off 84 balls after hitting 10 fours and a six.

Rohit, meanwhile, kept his composure and reached his half-century in 50 balls before shifting gears. He completed his 34th ODI century in just 84 deliveries, finishing with a superb 138 that included 17 fours and five sixes. The knock not only kept India in the contest but also answered the recent speculation over his ODI future. It was also the eighth ODI century of his career in England.

Kohli Fights, But India Lose Momentum

After Gill’s dismissal, Rohit and Virat Kohli added 113 runs for the second wicket. While the partnership kept India in the hunt, the required run rate continued to climb. Kohli started slowly before accelerating in the later stages. He scored a fighting half-century but was dismissed while trying to increase the scoring rate. He made 61 off 60 balls, hitting four fours and three sixes.

India’s chase fell apart after Rohit’s dismissal. Ishan Kishan managed only 14, Shreyas Iyer was dismissed for a duck, and KL Rahul scored just 12 as England tightened their grip on the match.

Duckett and Bethell Set the Platform

Earlier, England’s openers Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell laid the perfect foundation after being asked to bat first. With Jasprit Bumrah unavailable, India’s bowling attack struggled to make early breakthroughs. Although Prasidh Krishna bowled two maiden overs at the start, England’s openers settled quickly and dominated the innings.

Duckett and Bethell added a superb 192 runs for the first wicket in 30 overs. Bethell bounced back from a quiet series with a fluent 91 off 93 balls, smashing 11 fours and two sixes before falling just short of a century. Duckett continued to anchor the innings, bringing up his fourth ODI hundred in 108 balls. He eventually scored a magnificent 141 from 135 deliveries, including 18 fours and a six.

Root and Buttler Finish in Style

After Bethell’s departure, Joe Root joined Duckett and added another 101 runs for the second wicket to keep England in complete control. Duckett was finally dismissed after his outstanding 141, while captain Harry Brook contributed 14.

In the final five overs, Root and Jos Buttler produced a devastating finish. The pair added 82 runs to lift England to 387/3, their highest ODI total at Lord’s. Root remained unbeaten on 74 from just 48 balls, striking nine boundaries, while Buttler hammered an unbeaten 41 off only 13 deliveries with four fours and three sixes.

England’s strong batting display proved too much for India despite Rohit Sharma’s memorable century, as the hosts wrapped up the series with a deserved 2-1 victory.