Cricket
ESPNcricinfo staff 6y

Kuldeep the key as England and India face shoot-out

IND in ENG 2018, Cricket

Mark Wood says that England will be treating their deciding ODI against India as if it was a World Cup knock-out match, and with good reason - seeing as this could be the antepenultimate meeting between two sides who might be expecting to encounter each other in the final stages of the 2019 tournament.

And if their potential knock-out next year is as closely fought as Tuesday's contest is set to be, we ought to be in for a treat. After a thumping loss in the series opener at Trent Bridge, England bounced back with an improbably handsome win at Lord's on Saturday, which leaves them inseparable at 10/11 each in the pre-match stakes for the final.

However, if India are to win, then there's little doubt as to who the bookies expect to have made the difference. Kuldeep Yadav's left-arm wristspin claimed 6 for 25 in the series opener at Trent Bridge, and though he was less economical second-time out, he still picked up a further three wickets at Lord's.

Kuldeep is 6/1 to be Man of the Match for the second time in three games (and third in five on tour) and if he doesn't sink England, then Virat Kohli might. To everyone's astonishment he missed a straight one from Moeen Ali at Lord's, but at 8/1 he is still the best priced batsman on either side.

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