Joe Root reached a remarkable milestone on the way to playing the best innings of his career, setting a new record in the process.
After a disastrous batting performance in the first match, West Indies made a strong comeback. Thanks to Kacey Carty’s century, they set a target of over 300 runs. However, England easily surpassed that total, powered by Joe Root’s career-best innings. With their second consecutive win, England secured the series victory.
In the second ODI at Cardiff, England won by 3 wickets, chasing down West Indies’ 308 runs with 7 balls to spare.
This marks England’s first ODI series win against West Indies in eight years. The last time they won was in 2017, when they clinched a 4-0 victory in a five-match series (one match was washed out).
Joe Root was the hero of the match with an unbeaten 166 runs. In his career-best 139-ball innings, he struck 21 fours and 2 sixes. He sealed the win by hitting the fifth ball of the 49th over, bowled by Jaden Seales, for a boundary to long-on. The 34-year-old also set a new record as England’s highest run-scorer in ODIs, surpassing former captain Eoin Morgan’s 6,957 runs, becoming the first Englishman to reach the 7,000-run milestone.
Root’s ODI career stats now stand at 7,082 runs in 168 innings across 179 matches, with an average of 49.13, including 18 centuries and 42 fifties.
Earlier in the match, Carty shone with his fourth career century, scoring 103 off 105 balls with 13 fours. West Indies captain Shai Hope contributed a solid 78 runs off 66 balls, including four sixes and fours.
West Indies lost their opener, Juel Andrew, in the second over, but recovered through a partnership of 141 runs off 141 balls between Brandon King and Carty.
King’s innings of 59 runs (10 fours) was ended by Adil Rashid, who then dismissed Hope, but Carty carried the team forward, reaching his hundred off 102 balls.
Will Jacks broke the 58-run partnership by stumping Carty, but Hope kept the scoreboard ticking, reaching a fifty off 52 balls.
West Indies finished their innings at 308 all out in 47.4 overs after losing six wickets for 50 runs late in the innings.
England’s chase got off to a rocky start, losing both openers Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett without scoring—neither managed to open their account.
Joe Root and Harry Brook steadied the innings. Root scored 47 off 36 balls with 7 fours and a six before Alzarri Joseph broke their 85-run partnership.
Joseph then dismissed Jos Buttler for a duck in the very next over and prevented destructive batsman Jacob Bethell from settling at the crease.
Root and Will Jacks pushed England towards the target, with Root reaching his coveted century off 98 balls. Joseph broke their 143-run stand by dismissing Jacks, who had scored 49.
Root continued to dominate, surpassing his previous best of 133 to finish on 150 off 129 balls, guiding England to victory.
The third and final ODI of the series is scheduled for next Tuesday.
Match Summary
West Indies: 308 all out in 47.4 overs
- Brandon King 59, Juel Andrew 0, Kacey Carty 103, Shai Hope 78, Hetmyer 4, Graves 22, Ford 1, Chase 0, Mottley 18, Alzarri 10, Seales 0*; Saqib 9.4-0-37-3, Curs 9-1-59-1, Potts 9-0-56-0, Bethell 6-0-49-1, Rashid 10-0-63-4, Jacks 4-0-42-1
England: 312/7 in 48.5 overs
- Jamie Smith 0, Ben Duckett 0, Joe Root 166*, Harry Brook 47, Jos Buttler 0, Jacob Bethell 17, Will Jacks 49, Curs 2, Rashid 10; Seales 9.5-1-56-1, Ford 9-0-76-1, Alzarri 10-1-31-4, Graves 9-0-54-0, Chase 6-0-44-1, Mottley 5-0-38-0
Result: England won by 3 wickets
Series: England leads 2-0 in the three-match series
Man of the Match: Joe Root
