Unbeaten India heap more misery on holders England

LUCKNOW, India: 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 (Oct 29).

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.

Liam Livingstone's 27 was the top score in England's sorry-looking scorecard.

"I think this was a game where we showed a lot of character," Rohit said after India's sixth successive win in the tournament.

"All the experienced players stood up at the right time and won us the game."

Holders England went into the match as the bottom-placed team with only mathematical chances of making the semi-finals after just one win in their previous five group matches.

In India, they faced the tournament's only unbeaten side looking unstoppable in their home conditions.

Jos Buttler elected to field after winning the toss and had reasons to feel vindicated as India slumped to 40-3 in the 12th over.

David Willey (3-45) began with a maiden and sent groans across the stadium in the seventh over when he dismissed Virat Kohli for a nine-ball duck.

The early setbacks