Joe Root: Decoding his ODI stats versus Sri Lanka
England and Sri Lanka lock horns in match number 25 of the ICC Cricket World Cup at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday. All eyes will be on Joe Root, who holds a sensational record in ODIs versus the Lankans. England are in desperate need of runs and Root will be hoping to lead the line. We decode his stats versus SL.
Why does this story matter?
Root started on a strong note in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, hammering 77 versus New Zealand and another 82 versus Bangladesh. However, he faltered in the next two games as England suffered heavy defeats to Afghanistan and South Africa. Root scored 11 and 2 in these two games. With a strong record versus SL, Root knows he can look to bounce back.
Root averages 65.27 versus Sri Lanka
In 28 ODIs, Root owns 1,175 runs versus Sri Lanka at 65.27. He owns two tons and nine fifties with the best score of 121. Notably, only versus West Indies, Root holds a higher batting average of 67.00 (minimum 15-plus ODIs). Root has 541 runs versus SL at home (Avg 60.11) and 513 away (home of opposition) at 64.12 and 121 at neutral venues.
Root is closing in on 6,500 ODI runs
Root has amassed 6,418 ODI runs at 48.62 and can become the second England player with 6,500-plus runs. He is one shy of 50 ODI maximums (49). Root owns 930 runs in ODI World Cups and is 70 shy of the 1,000-run mark. Meanwhile, he is closing in on 500 ODI runs in India (467) and 500 runs at neutral venues (471).
