CUTTACK // Veterans Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni turned back the clock with blistering centuries to set up India’s series clinching 15-run win against England in the second one-day international in Cuttack on Thursday.
England captain Eoin Morgan struck a valiant 102 as the visitors, who were chasing 382 for victory, gave the hosts a scare after they ended the reply on 366 for eight.
With England requiring 46 off the final three overs the visitors stood an outside chance but Morgan’s unfortunate run out in the penultimate over ended their hopes.
The left-handed batsman hit six fours and five sixes during his 81-ball blitz.
“We weren’t at our best again today with the ball or the bat but we still competed,” Morgan said at the post-match presentation.
“We’re tremendously disappointed to get so close and not get over the line. But India outplayed us again today.”
But it was the 256-run fourth-wicket partnership between Yuvraj (150) and Dhoni (134) that handed India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The day belonged to the 35-year-old all-rounder Yuvraj, who made his highest ODI score, and former captain Dhoni as they delighted a sell-out crowd at Cuttack’s Barabati Stadium.
Virat Kohli, who inspired India to victory in the opener, was grateful to Yuvraj and Dhoni after he was dismissed by Chris Woakes for only eight.
“We wonder where we would have ended up if we’d had a good start,” Kohli said.
“It wasn’t great batting initially but two of the greats stood up, as they have done so many times for Indian cricket.”
The left-handed Yuvraj, who is making a comeback in the ODI side after a gap of three years, counter attacked after India were in early trouble at 25 for three.
Yuvraj, who last scored a hundred against West Indies in the 2011 World Cup, recorded his 14th ODI century as he smacked 21 fours and three sixes in a 127-ball knock.
In the process, he overtook the great Sachin Tendulkar’s record run tally in ODIs against England, and he has now accumulated 1,478 runs in 36 matches.
The left-hander acknowledged the innings was “probably the best” of his career. “The higher you bat the more balls you get to play and getting 150 was a target in my career and I am very happy to get that.”
Dhoni had a relatively sedate start, seeing out two maidens before boosting his confidence with a couple of boundaries.
The wicketkeeper-batsman, who survived a dropped catch on 43, made the most of the reprieve to post his 10th ODI hundred as he hit 10 fours and six sixes.
Yuvraj was caught behind off Woakes while Dhoni fell to Liam Plunkett but their departure was scant consolation to the England bowlers who were all carted around the park.
In England’s innings, Jason Roy (82) and Joe Root (54) put on 100 runs for the second wicket to try and set up the chase but the Indian spinners struck back to dent the opposition’s hopes.
It was then that Morgan rose to the occasion with an exemplary showing as he put on 93 runs for the sixth wicket with Moeen Ali (55) to keep the chase alive.
But the pressure of keeping pace with the ever-increasing run rate finally got to the visiting side as Plunkett remained unbeaten on 27.
The third and final ODI is scheduled in Kolkata on Sunday ahead of the three-match Twenty20 series.
* Agence France-Presse
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