Root powers Trent Rockets into knockouts

Joe Root's unbeaten 64 helped Trent Rockets qualify for the final weeks in Men's Hundred 2025 with a three-wicket win over Welsh Fire on Sunday. The result also sealed the top three places, with Rockets joining Oval Invincibles and Northern Superchargers, while eliminating the rest.

Root had Rockets in the hunt from the better part before a late stumble left them needing 14 off the last set of five, which is where he brought out the fireworks to seal it with a ball to spare.

The match saw a 97-run stand between Stevie Eskinazi and Tom Abell for Welsh Fire, with Eskinazi scoring a fifty and Abell narrowly missing out on one. Root's 64* and Tom Banton's 32 helped Rockets reach their target of 151.

Brief scores: Welsh Fire 150/6 in 100 balls (Stevie Eskinazi 53, Tom Abell 48) lost to Trent Rockets 152/7 in 99 balls (Joe Root 64*, Tom Banton 32) by 3 wickets