Joe Root Breaks Graham Gooch's Record in World Cup Cricket with Scintillating 82
Key Highlights :
Joe Root has cemented his place in the history books after moving past Graham Gooch’s mark of 897 runs in World Cup cricket with a scintillating 82 off 68 balls against Bangladesh in Dharamshala.
England’s World Cup defence got off to a sticky start after a nine-wicket thrashing by New Zealand in the tournament opener, but thanks to Dawid Malan’s superb century, they were able to rack up 364 for nine in their match against Bangladesh.
Malan scored a career-best 140 in 107 balls at the top of the order, overtaking Indian superstar Virat Kohli’s 127 as the biggest individual score at the HPCA Stadium. He shared stands of 115 and 151 with Jonny Bairstow (52) and Joe Root (82) as England recovered some of their swagger.
At one stage, with a power-packed middle order queuing up in the dugout, they looked ready to shoot for 400 but their over-exuberance allowed Bangladesh to find a way back in the closing stages. England lost five for 27 at one stage, but still walked away with a new record total.
Malan paced his run perfectly, scoring his first fifty off 39 balls in the powerplay, taking 53 more to convert his half-century and then smashing 40 off his last 16 as he cut loose. With 16 fours and five sixes, it was an eloquent response to critics who worry about his ability as an aggressor.
Bairstow marked his 100th ODI cap with a 54-ball half-century before losing his leg stump to Shakib Al Hasan, while Root made his second telling contribution in as many games. He moved past Graham Gooch’s mark of 897 runs in World Cup cricket with a perfectly timed reverse ramp for six over deep third.
Ultimately, England stumbled, with Shoriful Islam grabbing three wickets in nine deliveries. Jos Buttler dragged a wide one into off stump, Root skied a top edge and Liam Livingstone was clean bowled by a ripper for a golden duck. Harry Brook’s 20 was the best of the rest as Bangladesh kept a lid on the death overs and picked up regular wicket to leave England nine down at the end.
Joe Root’s 68-ball 82 was a scintillating innings which saw him become the first Englishman to break the 897-run mark in World Cup cricket. It was a fitting tribute to the skill and determination of the Yorkshireman, who has become an integral part of England’s white-ball revolution. With a little more luck, England could have easily racked up 400 runs in this match, but Root’s innings will be remembered as a major highlight of the match.
