England held their nerve after Ben Duckett’s masterful 141 inspired a first ODI series win over India since 2018 with a thrilling 27-run victory in a dramatic Lord’s finale.
Joe Root’s unbeaten 99 in Cardiff on Thursday set up a winner-takes-all contest at the home of cricket and England were halfway there when Duckett’s magnificent century was the bedrock of a record-breaking total of 387-3.
The best ever List A score at Lord’s was helped by 91 from new ODI opener Jacob Bethell, who almost marked Friday’s death of mentor Sir Garfield Sobers with a century, before Root’s latest fifty was backed up by Jos Buttler’s blistering 13-ball innings of 41.
Rohit Sharma had other ideas and put retirement rumours to bed with an equally stunning 138 to become the first India player to score an ODI hundred at the historic venue, but he was bowled after captain Harry Brook turned to Bethell to flip the momentum at 260-2.
Virat Kohli had already picked up the baton after Shubman Gill’s 77 and scored 50 on what may be his final innings in England, but two wickets for Sam Curran in the 44th over on his way to 4-75 further turned the screw.
Brook’s team eventually restricted India to 360-7 to make it six wins out of seven white-ball matches this summer and provide a boost to head coach Brendon McCullum, who lost his Test job this month but secured only a second ODI series triumph for England over India since 2012.
After Brook put England into bat, Bethell set about paying the ultimate tribute to family friend Sobers, who provided a reference which got the Barbados-born left-hander a scholarship into Rugby School in Warwickshire.
The first of 13 Bethell boundaries was an inside edge off Prasidh Krishna, but he settled into his groove with an early exquisite drive for four.
Bethell survived a run-out chance on 25 but Prince Yadav’s next delivery was pulled over deep square leg for six.
Two more exceptional drives for four were followed by Bethell’s 51-ball fifty via a top edge, which also brought up the hundred partnership in 15.3 overs with Duckett, who had played in a composed fashion.
Duckett reached his own half-century with a cut for four before all eyes were on Bethell but he picked out Sharma and had to drag himself off nine short of three figures.
A partnership of 192 still represented an ODI best for England against India and back-to-back fours off Arshdeep Singh moved Duckett closer to raising his bat.
Duckett had survived a DRS review on 67 off Axar Patel and brought up a fourth ODI international hundred when he pulled Gurnoor Brar to the boundary during the 36th over.
After Duckett required 108 balls for his milestone, three fours off Brar’s next over took England beyond the 250-mark before KL Rahul carried across the boundary rope for six, but Yadav’s slower ball finally accounted for the Nottinghamshire opener.
Duckett walked off for 141, a new highest ODI men’s score at Lord’s after Viv Richards’ 138 in 1975 before Root and Buttler produced late fireworks.
Root’s reverse sweep for four off Patel took him beyond his own past record of 309 runs without being dismissed in ODIs and he finished 74 not out, but largely played second fiddle to Buttler.
Buttler heaved Brar over long-on for six during a 23-run over which was followed by two more maximums back past Krishna, which took England to 387 for three.
Sharma strolled out amid speculation this could be his final match and a thick edge off Gus Atkinson was hardly a signal of intent, but the statement of consecutive fours off Josh Tongue followed before a trademark pull into the crowd welcomed Curran.
Gill beat Sharma to fifty but cramp struck like at Edgbaston and he was pinned in front lbw for 77 off Adil Rashid.
With India on 147 for one off 25.1 overs, Kohli’s entrance sparked enormous noise and the decibel level increased when Sharma reached three figures.
Back-to-back sixes off Tongue took Sharma into the nineties and a slog-swept over deep midwicket from Rashid earned a richly deserved century.
Sharma barely celebrated but Brook’s decision to turn to Bethell proved inspired and two tight overs were followed by a breakthrough.
Sharma exited bowled for 138 after he dispatched Bethell into the stand before Curran’s two 44th over scalps of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer – both caught by substitute fielder Rehan Ahmed – knocked the stuffing out of India, who lost Kohli (74) and ended on 360 for seven.
