Why Team India is considered to be one of the best teams in the shorter format of the game, was evident once again in the second ODI in Cardiff against England when they outplayed the home team by 133 runs.
Heroics of Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma supported by performances of Ajinkya Rahane, Mohd Shami and R Ashwin ensured that Team India bounced back strongly after the humiliating Test series defeat.
Suresh Raina, who played a magnificent knock of 100 runs from 75 balls, got into an important partnership of 144 runs for the fifth wicket with Indian captain MS Dhoni to help Team India reach a total of 304 runs. Both the batsmen left no stone unturned in punishing the English bowlers and displayed some magnificent stroke-play especially Suresh Raina who hit 12 fours and 3 sixes during his stay at the crease.
The Indian skipper too rose to the occasion once again and came with yet another helpful fifty for his team which came off only 51 balls which also included six boundaries. The duo has now accumulated 3244 runs in 63 innings together, including eight century stands and averages more than 60.07 – the highest by an Indian pair so far.
Chasing a revised total of 297 runs in 47 overs after rain interrupted the game, the English team was bundled out by Team India for mere 160 runs. The star of Indian bowling was Ravindra Jadeja who came with a splendid figures of 28/4 from his 7 overs. Mohd Shami and R Ashwin got two wickets each whereas Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Suresh Raina too took one wicket in their kitty.
Image Courtesy: BCCI
