Sun Feb 09 18:35:31 UTC 2025: ## India Clinches ODI Series Win Over England with Thrilling Victory

**Cuttack, India:** India secured a commanding 2-0 series victory over England in a thrilling second ODI at Cuttack. Despite a challenging 305-run target set by England, India chased it down with four wickets to spare, thanks largely to a magnificent century by captain Rohit Sharma.

Sharma, who had been struggling for form recently, was in imperious form, smashing his 32nd ODI century off just 76 balls, including seven sixes and nine fours. His 136-run opening partnership with Shubman Gill (60) laid the foundation for India’s chase. Gill fell to a superb yorker from Jamie Overton, but Sharma continued his onslaught, eventually reaching 119 before being dismissed.

England, despite a strong start from their openers Ben Duckett (51) and Phil Salt (51), failed to capitalize on promising partnerships, with several batsmen throwing their wickets away at crucial moments. Harry Brook (66) and Joe Root (69) formed a significant partnership, but their dismissals, along with Jos Buttler’s (30) and Liam Livingstone’s (14) contributions, prevented England from posting a truly massive total. They were eventually all out for 304 in 49.5 overs.

India’s chase wasn’t without its drama. A prolonged interruption due to stadium lighting failures disrupted their momentum. Despite a late flurry of wickets, including the loss of Shreyas Iyer (44) and Hardik Pandya (10), Ravindra Jadeja finished the game off with a boundary, securing a memorable victory for the hosts.

Rohit Sharma was unsurprisingly named Player of the Match, praising his partnership with Gill and highlighting the importance of controlling the middle overs. England captain Jos Buttler acknowledged Rohit’s exceptional innings and admitted that his team had failed to reach the target score needed to challenge India effectively. The final ODI will be a dead rubber, with India having already secured the series.

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