India win low-scoring contest to heap more misery on England

LUCKNOW, India, (Reuters): India maintained their unbeaten streak at the 2023 World Cup with a 100-run victory in a low-scoring contest against holders England, who are facing a premature exit following their fifth defeat in six group matches on Sunday.

Rohit Sharma saved India’s blushes with a captain’s knock of 87 in what initially appeared a below-par total of 229-9 on a tricky surface at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.

Put into bat, the hosts slumped to 40-3 in the 12th over before Rohit forged a 91-run partnership with KL Rahul (39) to arrest their slide.

Suryakumar Yadav contributed a breezy 49 down the order and India’s tailenders scored some useful runs towards the end to take them past the 225-mark.

England were reduced to 52-5 inside 16 overs in a remarkable batting capitulation and were eventually bundled out for 129 in inside 35 overs with Mohammed Shami claiming 4-22 for India.