Australia cricket icon Matthew Hayden’s daughter expressed gratitude to England star Joe Root for preventing her father from carrying out a dare to strip naked. Root achieved his first century in Australia at the Gabba, marking 12 years since his initial Ashes tour. The former England captain’s stellar performance, scoring an unbeaten 135 from 202 balls after being dropped early in his innings, relieved Hayden from the obligation of fulfilling a bet that involved a naked walk around the MCG if Root failed to reach a century on this tour.
Grace Hayden, a commentator, publicly acknowledged her relief through an Instagram post, making a gesture of gratitude before exclaiming, “Thank God.” She captioned the video with, “Root thank you you’ve saved all our eyes.” Hayden also acknowledged his nervousness about the bet, acknowledging that his wife and daughter would have been particularly relieved by Root’s achievement.
In a message to Root, Hayden congratulated him on his century in Australia, emphasizing his personal stake in the outcome. He expressed his relief and joy over Root’s performance, highlighting the pressure he felt as the innings progressed. Alastair Cook, Root’s former captain, praised the innings as brilliant and crucial for England, asserting Root’s status as one of England’s greatest batsmen ever.
The collective sentiment from Hayden, his daughter, and Cook conveyed immense gratitude and praise towards Root for his match-winning century, which not only impacted the game but also averted a potentially embarrassing situation for Hayden.