England Clinch ODI Series 2-1 Despite India's Brave Chase at Lord's

Writer: Sreekanth Reddy12:20 AM, 20 July 2026

india fought valiantly but fell short in the final ODI at Lord's, losing to England by 27 runs despite brilliant performances from Rohit Sharma, captain Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli. Chasing a daunting target of 388, India finished on 360/7 in 50 overs, allowing England to seal the three-match series 2-1.india's chase got off to a sensational start as openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill laid a solid foundation. Rohit starred with a magnificent 138 off 110 balls, smashing 17 fours and five sixes, while Gill played a composed knock of 77 from 84 deliveries. The duo stitched together a 147-run opening partnership, raising hopes of a memorable chase. After Gill's dismissal, Virat Kohli continued the momentum with an attacking 74 off 60 balls. Rohit and Kohli added another 113 runs for the second wicket, keeping India firmly in the contest.

The match turned when Rohit was dismissed by Jacob Bethell at a crucial stage. His wicket triggered a dramatic collapse. Ishan Kishan (14) and Shreyas Iyer (0) departed in quick succession, putting India under pressure. England all-rounder Sam Curran then produced a match-winning spell, dismissing Kohli, Ishan, Shreyas, and Axar Patel to derail India's chase. KL Rahul also failed to make an impact, scoring just 12. Gurnoor Brar (18*) and Arshdeep Singh (15*) tried to accelerate in the closing overs, but the target had slipped out of reach. Sam Curran finished as England's standout bowler with four wickets.

Earlier, after winning the toss and opting to bat, England posted a formidable 387/3 in their allotted 50 overs. Opener Ben Duckett led the charge with a superb 141, while Jacob Bethell narrowly missed out on a century, scoring 91. The pair put on a commanding 192-run opening stand. Joe Root remained unbeaten on 74, and Jos Buttler provided a late flourish with a blistering 41 off just 13 balls, powering England close to the 400-run mark. For India, Prasidh Krishna was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets.