In a light-hearted incident following India's monumental eighth Asia Cup victory, Team India captain Rohit Sharma showcased his propensity to forget things. As the team prepared to leave for the airport, Sharma had the bus waiting because he'd left his passport behind at the hotel. This amusing episode was quickly resolved when a hotel staff member handed it over to him.
This isn't the first time Sharma's forgetfulness has been highlighted. Back in 2017, former captain Virat Kohli remarked in an interview, “I haven’t seen anyone forget things like Rohit Sharma does. He even forgets his iPad, Passport.”
However, amidst the chuckles, Sharma's leadership and appreciation for his team were evident. Following a dominant 10-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023 final, Sharma was all praise for his squad. India's bowlers, particularly pacer Mohammed Siraj, were instrumental in bowling out Sri Lanka for a mere 50 runs. Siraj's exceptional performance saw him claim six wickets for just 21 runs. India then achieved the target in slightly over six overs.
Reflecting on the match, Sharma stated, “Yeah was a great performance. To come out and play like that in the final shows the mental character. It was a great start with the ball and clinical finish with the bat. I was standing in the slips, and something we take pride in – our seamers have been working really hard. It was good to see that.”
Sharma further lauded Siraj's skills, saying, “Such a performance we will cherish for a long time. I never thought it’s going to do that much. It comes down to the skillset of individuals. Siraj has to be given a lot of credit. Rare for seamers to move the ball in the air and off the pitch. He’s coming off age.”
The Indian captain also looked ahead, expressing satisfaction with the team's performance throughout the tournament. He mentioned standout performances from Hardik, Ishan, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill. Sharma concluded, “We did everything we could’ve achieved as a team in this tournament. Look forward to the series that is coming up in India, and then the World Cup. The way Hardik and Ishan batted in that pressure situation against Pakistan, and then KL (Rahul) and Virat (Kohli) getting hundreds. The way (Shubman) Gill has been batting. Guys have stood up at various stages.”
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