London delivered a spectacle fit for the history books on July 19, 2026, as England hosted India at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground for the third and final ODI of the series. With the series on the line, the tension in the air was palpable, matched only by the sheer star power filling the grandstands.
On a surface tailor-made for batting, fans were treated to an electrifying clash that blended high-octane sporting action with A-list glamour, ultimately culminating in a thrilling finish at the ‘Home of Cricket.’
Lord’s turns into a celebrity hotspot as MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh attend ODI decider
The grandstands at Lord’s looked more like a red-carpet event as legendary figures from sports, business, and cinema gathered to witness the high-stakes decider. Former Indian captain MS Dhoni, making his third stadium appearance of the tour after visits to Trent Bridge and Edgbaston, captured immediate attention in the premium enclosures alongside his wife Sakshi. He was joined by prominent industrialist and LSG owner Dr. Sanjiv Goenka, as well as Bollywood stars Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar, Arjun Kapoor, Kriti Sanon and Anushka Sharma.
Three stars, one iconic venue! ✨
MS Dhoni, Rishabh Pant, and Kriti Sanon were spotted together at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground, making it a picture-perfect moment. 🏏📸 pic.twitter.com/VHy3DR6IZb
— Mukesh Kariyare (@mukesh_kariyare) July 20, 2026
I almost forgot that there is Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh in the picture. That’s the aura of Sahiba Bali. pic.twitter.com/t8rZayiCy3
— Sunil The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) July 19, 2026
The day began on a poignant note when former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh rang the iconic five-minute bell to signal the start of play. Social media went into a frenzy later in the afternoon when a single viral frame united cricket royalty: Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara, Sir Clive Lloyd, Kumar Sangakkara, and Yuvraj Singh sharing a enclosure alongside former Indian keeper Farokh Engineer and meeting current Indian Test wicket keeper batter Rishabh Pant. Ritika Sajdeh, wife of veteran opener Rohit Sharma, was also spotted cheering from the stands during India’s chase.
In the presence of legends! This is not an AI post :). But for those who know, they know. pic.twitter.com/IGJORgN3ah
— Nikesh Arora (@nikesharora) July 19, 2026
Anushka Sharma is at LORD’S to see his hubby probably for the last time in Blues. pic.twitter.com/iQGldNdkIR
— Steyn (@imsteyn160) July 19, 2026
Also WATCH: Rohit Sharma blows a flying kiss to wife Ritika after his electrifying century at Lord’s in the final ODI
India’s valiant effort in a huge run chase ends in defeat against England at Lord’s
Opting to bat first, England posted a formidable total of 387/3 in their allotted 50 overs, fueled by a sensational century from opener Ben Duckett (141 off 135 balls). Duckett set the tone alongside Jacob Bethell (91 off 93 balls) with a massive 192-run opening stand. Late-order fireworks from Joe Root (74* off 48 balls) and Jos Buttler (41* off 13 balls) pushed the target out of reach, despite disciplined spells from Axar Patel (0/61) and Prasidh Krishna (2/69).
In response, India launched a valiant fightback, led by a majestic century from Rohit (138 off 110 balls). Alongside skipper Shubman Gill (77 off 84 balls), Rohit provided a dream start with a 147-run opening partnership. Virat Kohli kept India in the hunt with a crisp 74 off 60 balls, bringing the required rate within reach as India crossed 300 runs.
However, England left-arm seamer Sam Curran (4/75) triggered a late-order collapse during the final Powerplay. Curran removed Ishan Kishan (14), Shreyas Iyer (0), and Kohli in quick succession. Despite lower-order resistance, India finished at 360/7 in 50 overs, falling short by 27 runs as England clinched the ODI series in a high-scoring thriller.
