Ignoring Ravi Shastri’s advice in the low-scoring encounter between India and Ireland on Wednesday, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma launched an all-out attack against the opposition bowlers to open the account of the 2007 T20 World Cup winners. A captain’s knock from the veteran Indian opener sealed a comfortable win for the Virat Kohli-starrer side in match No.8 of the T20 World Cup at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
Opening the innings for the former champions with batting icon Kohli, skipper Rohit played a quick-fire knock in the curtain-raiser of the Asian giants. While in-form Kohli recorded a rare batting failure in the ICC event, skipper Rohit notched up his first half-century of the T20 World Cup 2024 in New York. However, Rohit’s blazing knock ended abruptly when the Indian skipper was retired hurt in the 10th over of the innings.
Rohit was hit on the arm in the eighth over bowled by Joshua Little. Ireland opted for a review, but since Rohit was struck on the arm and Ultra Edge confirmed no spike on the bat, the Indian skipper was adjudged not out by the third umpire. Rohit smoked two sixes off Little in the same over to move to 42 off 33 balls. The Indian skipper completed his half-century in Mark Adair’s over to help India post 76-1 in 10 overs. After the drinks break, Rohit was seen leaving the field with Team India physio. Feeling some discomfort in his shoulder, Rohit returned to the dugout after smashing 52 runs off 37 balls.
Rohit smashes multiple records in quick-fire 52-run knock
India skipper Rohit capped off a record-fest outing for the Men In Blue against Ireland. The 37-year-old completed 4,000 runs in the shortest format of the game. The India opener breached the 1000-run mark in the T20 World Cups. Nicknamed Hitman, Rohit also became the first batter to smash 600 sixes in international cricket.
“Yeah, just a little sore (the arm). I said it at the toss as well. Quite unsure of what to expect from the pitch. Not aware on what it is to play like on a pitch that’s five months old. I don’t think the wicket settled down even when we batted second. There was enough for the bowlers,” Rohit said after the match.