ICC World T20: Joe Root heroics keep England alive

England’s Joe Root en route to his 83 in their World T20 Super 10 game against South Africa in Mumbai on Friday. England won by two wickets. (Photo: Rajesh Jadhav)

Joe Root’s 44-ball 83 masterminded a massive chase of 230/8 against South Africa in Group 1 ICC World Twenty20 clash at Wankhede Stadium here on Friday. England romped home by two wickets with two balls to spare to stay alive in the tournament.

Openers Jason Roy (43) and Alex Hales (17) put on 48 runs in just 15 balls to set the pace. Kyle Abott (3/41) ended the initial madness by removing both openers. Kagiso Rabada (2/50) went for 21 in his first over and Dale Steyn was despatched for 23. In all, SA gave away 20 runs in wides.

England lost three wickets but scored 89 in the Powerplay to keep the huge chase in sight. Spinners Imran Tahir (1/28) and J.P. Duminy (1/31) kept the batsmen in check to create some panic and account for Eoin Morgan (12).

But Root and Jos Butler 21 (14b) put the chase back on track with a breezy partnership of 75 in 36 balls for the fifth wicket. Root was out in the penultimate over after hitting six boundaries and four sixes during his 71-minute stay at the crease.

Earlier, South Africa openers Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla struck blazing half-centuries to help set England a huge target.

The openers were involved in 96-run partnership in just 7.1 overs. J.P. Duminy sparkled towards the end with an unbeaten 54 to ensure the Proteas finished with a mammoth 229/4 on the board.

He was well supported by David Miller (28 not out). The fifth wicket partnership produced 60 runs in only 27 balls.

Scoreboard South Africa: H. Amla lbw b Ali 58, Q. de Kock c Hales b Ali 52, A.B. de Villiers c Morgan b Rashid 16, F. du Plessis c Roy b Willey 17, J.P. Duminy (not out) 54, D. Miller (not out) 28. Extras: (b 2, w 2) 4. Total: (for 4 wkts, in 20 overs) 229. Fow: 1-96, 2-114, 3-133, 4-169. Bowling: Willey 4-0-40-1 (1w), Topley 2-0-33-0, Ali 4-0-34-2, Jordan 3-0-49-0, Stokes 2-0-23-0 (1w), Rashid 4-0-35-1, Root 1-0-13-0

England: J. Roy c de Kock b Abbott 43, A. Hales lbw b Abbott 17, B. Stokes c Morris b Rabada 15, J. Root c Miller b Rabada 83, E. Morgan b Duminy 12, J. Buttler st de Kock b Tahir 21, M. Ali (not out) 11, C. Jordan c Duminy b Abbott 5, D. Willey run out 0, A. Rashid (not out) 0 Extras (lb 2, w 20) 22. Total (for 8 wkts, in 19.4 overs) 229 Fow: 1-48, 2-71, 3-87, 4-111, 5-186, 6-219, 7-229, 8-229 Bowling: Rabada 4-0-50-2 (2w), Steyn 2-0-35-0 (1w), Abbott 3.3-0-40-3 (2w), Imran Tahir 4-0-28-1 (2w), Duminy 3-0-31-1, Morris 3-0-43-0 (3w)