Man of the Match: The English opening batsman won the Man of the Match award for his match-winning innings.
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During the second ODI of the ongoing England’s tour of India in Pune, England beat India by 6 wickets. A victory margin which doesn’t do justice to England’s efforts, their batsmen sealed a 337-run chase in only the 44th over.
Following a 110-run opening partnership between Jason Roy (55) and Jonny Bairstow, England thumped the hosts with their second-wicket stand as Bairstow and all-rounder Ben Stokes put together 175 runs off 113 deliveries.
Earlier, it was England captain Jos Buttler who won the toss and invited India in to bat. The hosts scored 336/6 in 50 overs on the back of batsman Lokesh Rahul’s fifth ODI century. While Rahul scored 108 (114) with the help of seven fours and two sixes, wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant (77) and captain Virat Kohli (66) had also scored individual half-centuries.
Who won the Man of the Match award today?
Having not given any chance to the opposition bowlers, Bairstow and Stokes hit the Indian bowlers left, right and centre at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium. Particularly severe against the likes of Kuldeep Yadav and Krunal Pandya, the English pair smashed as many as 87 runs between overs 30-35.
While Bairstow completed his 11th ODI century, Stokes missed the feat by just a run as he ended up scoring 99 (52) with the help of four fours and 10 sixes. Bairstow, who scored 124 (112) with the help of 11 fours and seven sixes, won the Man of the Match award for 11th time in his ODI career.
“Disappointed to miss out in the last game. Delighted to get over the line in this one. Over the years, I have had too many chats with [Dominic] Cork. The thought process was the same like the last game, exactly the same game plan. Ben played some entertaining strokes down the ground,” Bairstow told Star Sports during the post-match presentation ceremony.
