Joe Root is a pillar in the English top order and has been a major factor behind their success in ODI cricket in the last few years. The former English captain has played several outstanding knocks to lead his team to memorable victories. In this article, we will take a look at some of those extraordinary batting performances from Joe Root in ODI cricket.
#1. 133 vs Bangladesh, 2017
Joe Root played his best knock in ODI cricket in the 2017 Champions Trophy against Bangladesh at the Oval. Batting first Bangladesh managed to post 305 runs on the board which was a challenging target to chase for the hosts. After a disappointing start due to the early departure of Jason Roy, Joe Root, and Alex Hales provided solidity to the English batting unit in the run chase with a massive partnership. Root continued even after Hales’ dismissal and carried his team across the finishing line with his skipper Eoin Morgan who also smashed a half-century.
#2. 125 vs South Africa, 2016
A sublime batting performance from Joe Root at Centurion against South Africa comes second on this list. This was a display of pure batting excellence by Root against a formidable South African bowling lineup that had bowlers like Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, and Imran Tahir. England lost opener Jason Roy early in the innings but Root’s partnership with Alex Hales denied the Proteas any major advantage. In the middle overs, England lost some wickets in quick succession but Root stood strong to guide his team through a tough phase. Courtesy of his batting effort England posted 318 runs in the first innings.
#3. 121 vs Sri Lanka, 2015
Joe Root has always turned up for his team on big occasions and this knock is a testament to that. He played this innings against Sri Lanka in a group stage match in the 2015 ODI World Cup at Wellington. Root played a crucial role in the middle order to rescue England from initial pressure to push them to a competitive total in the first innings. He scored 121 runs off 108 deliveries to make sure that England had a say in the contest against an in-form Sri Lankan batting order.