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Ben Stokes looked skyward and apologized to his late father, former Kiwi mainstay Ged Stokes, after going 99 in England’s remarkable chase to beat India in their second one-day international (ODI) in Pune.
England’s all-rounder pays tribute to his father when he scores a century by raising his left hand and bending his middle finger, but came within a run of another milestone after a devastating hitting attack, highlighted by 10 sixes on his 52 ball. aerial.
He went from 50 to 99 on just 12 balls, but was eliminated after passing a shot from Bhuvneshwar Kumar to goalkeeper Rishabh Pant.
Gareth Copley / Getty Images
Ben Stokes’ salute to his father after scoring a century for England against the West Indies in 2020 (FILE PHOTO).
Stokes walked away, looked up, raised his left hand and said “sorry”, but his departure did not derail England’s march to victory.
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The inspiration behind the three-finger salute comes from Ged Stokes having part of his middle finger amputated, allowing him to continue playing rugby league throughout his career in the 1980s.
The Cantabrian died last December, at the age of 65, after suffering from brain cancer.
Rafiq Maqbool / AP
Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes led England to victory in Pune.
While Ben Stokes lost a ton to a mustache, starter Jonny Bairstow reached a century when England beat India by six wickets to level the three-game ODI series at 1-1 on Friday (Saturday New Zealand time).
He set a stiff target of 337, Bairstow made 124 and Stokes 99 in the determined pursuit of England 337-4 in 43.3 overs. The duo hit 17 sixes and 14 limits between them and shared a partnership of 175 runs with 113 balls.
Earlier, after being put at bat, India reached their 336-6 total in large part due to the fifth ODI hundred from Lokesh Rahul and Pant, who hit seven sixes on their aggressive 77 of 40 balls.
SPARK SPORT
The Black Caps duo loot each of their first centuries of ODI in the Cuenca Reserve.
“Delighted with the response from the guys,” England substitute captain Jos Buttler said. “The former have been a pillar of our strength for a long period of time. Enchanted by Jonny [Bairstow] and that association with Ben Stokes was brilliant to see, as a playmate and as a fan. “
Bairstow orchestrated England’s fifth most successful race-chase in an ODI with a second straight position at the opening of the century with Jason Roy (55).
The 110-race partnership set the tone before Roy was exhausted in a mix-up with Bairstow in the 17th.
Stokes took his time getting to 50 of 40 balls, but then hit a flurry of sixes as he faced India spinners Kuldeep Yadav (0-84) and Krunal Pandya (0-72) as the southpaw moved to 99 in the next 11 installments.
Bairstow entered his century with a six over midwicket against Yadav after Stokes lost his.
Prasidh Krishna (2-58) then took two wickets into four-ball space, having Bairstow trapped in the covers and then cleaning Buttler for a duck with an excellent yorker.
Surjeet Yadav / Getty Images
England starter Jonny Bairstow scored a century in the second ODI.
But rookie Liam Livingstone (27 no-out), who replaced injured captain Eoin Morgan, and Dawid Malan (21), who replaced Sam Billings, ensured that England came to victory with 39 balls to spare.
“We didn’t execute very well, but I thought they hit brilliantly tonight,” Indian captain Virat Kohli said. “We were blown away during that Jonny partnership [Bairstow] and Ben Stokes. We didn’t even have a chance during that partnership. “
India’s innings were held together by Rahul, who followed his half-century undefeated in the first ODI with 108 of 114 balls and anchored India’s total with two solid bleachers of the century.
India lost the first two games, Rohit Sharma (25) and Shikhar Dhawan (4), to the England rowers before Rahul and Kohli (66) got back on track with 121 runs.
Adil Rashid broke the stands in 32nd when he had Kohli trapped from behind when the Indian skipper tried to cut off the leg-spinner.
Pant, who replaced the injured Shreyas Iyer in the game eleven, and Rahul then entered into an energetic 113-run partnership with southpaw Pant who dominated England bowling during his mighty stint.
England’s Curran brothers Tom (2-83) and Sam (1-47) proved costly late in the game with India scoring 126 runs in the final 10 overs for the loss of just three wickets.
Rafiq Maqbool / AP
India captain Virat Kohli, right, couldn’t see how England’s batters did an easy job with their huge victory goal.
Rahul, who was criticized after scoring just 15 runs in four Twenty-20s, completed his century with 108 balls with a single off Sam Curran in the 44th before holed into the middle of the field on Tom Curran’s next over.
Tom Curran also caught Pant at depth, but not before the southpaw hit two successive sixes against the right-arm fast pitcher.
Hardik Pandya (35 of 16 balls) raised the total with his late cameo after Buttler failed to hold a thick edge when the batter was 21.
India won the first match by 66 runs. The decisive game of the series will be played on Sunday.
– AP, with things
