2nd ODI: Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow have a blast as England level series 1-1

England all-rounder Ben Stokes en route his 52-ball 99 against India in the second ODI yesterday. Pic/AFP; (right) England opener Jonny Bairstow celebrates his century against India at Pune yesterday. Pic/PTI

Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes made absolute mockery of a stiff-looking 337-run victory target to help England level the three-match ODI series against India 1-1 at the MCA stadium here on Friday. With the victory, England ensured that they remain the top-ranked ODI side after the series, as India needed to win the series 3-0 to topple England from that position.

Chasing 337 for victory, England were once again given a solid start by openers Bairstow and Jason Roy. Their 110-run opening stand off just 16.3 overs was just the kind of platform the visitors needed in pursuit of a stiff target. Roy's 55-run innings was ended by a brilliant piece of fielding by Rohit Sharma at short midwicket, as the man from Mumbai dived to his right to intercept a flick and threw the ball to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant with both batsmen stranded halfway down the pitch. In walked Stokes and what followed was absolute carnage. By now, Bairstow had also started hitting boundaries with a lot of ease. Stokes not only matched Bairstow stroke for stroke, but even outscored the opener in what seemed like a six-hitting contest.

England dominate

If it was Bairstow's 124 off 112 balls that set England's chase up, it definitely was Stokes' 52-ball 99 that ended the game as a contest. The pair added 175 runs in just 117 balls. Stokes smashed four fours and 10 sixes, while Bairstow struck 11 fours and seven sixes. Despite England losing Stokes, Bairstow and Jos Buttler within the space of nine balls, England comfortably crossed the line in 43.3 overs, for the loss of four wickets.

Put in to bat first for the second consecutive time in this series, India batted with the same template which was so successful in the first game. They played risk-free cricket early on, kept wickets in hand, and went berserk at the death. After both the openers - Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma - were dismissed with 37 runs on the board, skipper Kohli and KL Rahul batted cautiously.

The duo, however, didn't allow the England bowlers to create any pressure, taking singles and twos with ease. Their 121-run partnership for the third wicket came off 141 balls. Kohli, for the second game in row, got out after completing a half-century, edging Adil Rashid to wicketkeeper Buttler on 66.

The only thing Kohli's dismissal did though, was accelerate the scoring rate further. Batting at No. 5, Pant gave the innings the kind of momentum the team management would have been hoping for. His 40-ball 77 ensured that the hosts crossed the 300-run mark with plenty of ease, and almost four overs still to be bowled.

Pant on fire

Pant added 113 runs for the fourth wicket with Rahul in just 80 balls, with both batsmen taking the aggressive route.

The innings, without a doubt though belonged to Rahul. Dhawan, after the first ODI, had explained why batting cautiously early on and keeping wickets in hand was important on a wicket like this. And Rahul played the role that Dhawan had played three days back to perfection, or even better, on Friday.

His fifth ODI hundred enabled the likes of Pant and Hardik Pandya go big from the other end. Rahul's 108 came off 114 balls and included seven fours and two sixes. His only false shot of the day, a top-edged pull off Tom Curran ended Rahul's innings with more than five overs still to be bowled. Next man in, Hardik, smashed the first ball he faced over the square-leg boundary. Hardik's 16-ball 35, which included a four and four sixes, enabled the Indians to get past the 330-run mark. India scored 126 runs in the final 10 overs of their innings, and hit 14 sixes altogether.