Watch: Axar Patel drops sitter at deep-point, hands Phil Salt lifeline

Axar Patel and Phil Salt (Source: Twitter/X)

Out of everyone, it was Axar Patel who dropped an absolute dolly in the outfield during the ongoing second ODI between India and England at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. The surprising incident transpired on the final delivery of the sixth over of the game. This was also Hardik Pandya’s first over of his opening spell.

Phil Salt, batting on six off 11 deliveries, upper-cut the short delivery bowled by Hardik straight into the hands of Axar at deep backward point. Axar, stationed near the fence, seemed well-settled under the ball. However, it seemed as if he took it too easy, and ended up making a hash of the straightforward opportunity to provide Salt a reprieve.

Axar Dropped Catch Of Salt 👎#INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/LlhGTbj2PF

— RAI Sahab ( Bhartiy ) (@Sarvesh280989) February 9, 2025

Fortunately for Axar and the hosts, Salt did not add a significant amount to the scoreboard. He was dismissed by Varun Chakravarthy for 26 in the 11th over. With that, the debutant mystery spinner got off the mark in terms of his ODI wicket-tally.

Duckett departs after authoritative half-century

Coming to the match, England opted to bat upon winning the toss. They got off to a really nice start, much like they had in the first ODI of the series. Ben Duckett was particularly assertive in his gameplay, stroking 48 within the first 10 overs. The opener brought up his sixth ODI half-century shortly after.

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Four overs after Salt’s dismissal, Duckett departed for a 56-ball 65 after the left-handed batter dragged a tossed up delivery outside off to Hardik at long-on, who made no mistake in latching onto the chance. At the time of writing, England are 261/6 at the end of 46 overs. India would be looking to restrict the visitors below 300.

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