[WATCH]- Shreyas Iyer’s Shot Hits Seagull, Jacob Bethell’s Gesture Wins Hearts in 2nd ODI

An unfortunate moment unfolded during the second ODI between India and England at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, when Shreyas Iyer’s shot accidentally struck a seagull on Thursday. The incident occurred on the third delivery of the 33rd over, bowled by England pacer Saqib Mahmood.

Mahmood delivered a length ball outside off stump, which Iyer drove firmly through the covers. The ball hit a seagull stationed in the cover region before rolling towards Ben Duckett at sweeper cover. By then, Iyer and Washington Sundar had completed a single, but play was briefly halted as attention turned to the injured bird.

England opener Jacob Bethell then won praise for his thoughtful gesture, gently picking up the injured seagull with both hands and carrying it to a steward near the boundary rope. His act of compassion was warmly appreciated by the Cardiff crowd, who responded with a round of applause.

Watch the video here:

Moment of the day 💫

Ball hit by shreyas iyer had hit the bird , Jacob bethel himself took the injured bird to groundstaff ❤️‍🩹 pic.twitter.com/KLPbHKuv0n

— Shashank (@Shashankmsdian) July 16, 2026

Earlier, England captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to field first in the second ODI at Cardiff. Despite scoring a career-best 68 in England’s six-wicket defeat in the series opener, spin-bowling all-rounder Liam Dawson was left out of the playing XI, while pacer Josh Tongue also made way.

England brought in the pace duo of Gus Atkinson and Saqib Mahmood as they looked to bounce back after losing 14 of their last 20 ODIs. India, meanwhile, made one forced change, with Ishan Kishan replacing the unwell KL Rahul behind the stumps.

India Lose Momentum in the Middle Overs

Virat Kohli rolled back the years with a fluent 65, but Rohit Sharma’s prolonged lean patch continued as India were bowled out for a below-par 233 in 44 overs. The innings unraveled dramatically in the middle overs, with the visitors losing four wickets for just 15 runs in 26 deliveries, largely due to a fiery spell from Jofra Archer, who finished with 3/47.

Archer received good support from Saqib Mahmood (2/52) and Gus Atkinson (3/50) as England’s pace attack kept India under pressure. Kohli’s 66-ball knock, featuring eight boundaries, was highlighted by a stunning straight drive off Archer. In contrast, Rohit struggled for rhythm throughout his 26 off 47 balls, including a stretch of nine consecutive dot deliveries.

Vice-captain Shreyas Iyer emerged as India’s standout batter with a composed 66 off 71 balls, handling the short-ball challenge well despite receiving little support from the lower order. After England captain Harry Brook opted to bowl first, Shubman Gill looked positive during his 31 off 30 balls, while Rohit found it difficult to rotate the strike and maintain momentum.

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