Rohit Sharma clicked at the right time and launched a blitzkrieg on Australia to help India thrash Mitchell Marsh's men by 24 runs and enter the T20 World Cup semifinal in style on June 24. India's comprehensive victory over Australia leaves the remaining semi-final spot wide open. Chasing a mammoth 205 set by India, Australia made a promising start with Travis Head batting like a man possessed. Head built crucial partnerships with Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell, but India's spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel proved to be the game-changers. Kuldeep dismissed both Marsh and Maxwell, while Hardik Pandya chipped in with the wicket of Marcus Stoinis. Despite Head's valiant knock of 76, Australia's batting order crumbled after his dismissal, with Tim David and Matthew Wade falling cheaply. With this win, India secured their place in the semi-finals and will now face England on June 27th in Guyana. This will be a much-anticipated rematch as England famously defeated India in the semi-final of the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Earlier, Rohit Sharma had set the stage for India's dominant performance with a blistering 92 runs off just 41 balls. His knock, laced with elegance and power, included seven fours and eight sixes. While Virat Kohli fell cheaply, Rohit continued his assault despite losing partners at the other end. He was finally dismissed by Mitchell Starc, but his innings ensured India posted a formidable total.
Rohit Sharma's no-nense remark after match-winning knock
Rohit was adjudged Player of the Match for his stunning performance just when India needed him the most. Rohit didn't change an iota in his batting approach and played in the same fashion which he has been displaying throughout the tournament. Before this match Rohit had amassed 99 runs in a span of five matches. But after his lightning knock, Rohit's run tally has reached 191 in six matches, which boasts two half-centuries. However, Rohit in the post-match, clearly said that 50s and 100s don't matter to him much as putting bowlers under pressure was his only motto.
“That's what I have to do (in the powerplay), try and see what the bowlers are doing, play accordingly. They changed their plans and tried to bowl against the breeze. Needed to be smart, was just backing myself to do. You got to understand that bowlers are smart, they are not going to bowl into the breeze. I was thinking to hit everything that was possible. You can access all sides of the field, that is what I was trying to do. It has been a good wicket and you need to back yourself on good wickets, glad that it came off today. I told you that 50s and 100s don't matter to me. Need to put the bowlers under pressure, and you need big scores for that. I tried to access all sides of the field, not just one side,” Rohit said after India's win over Australia.
Rohit Sharma: A Night of Records
Rohit Sharma's blistering knock against Australia wasn't just about the runs; it was a night of historical feats. Here's a breakdown of the records he shattered:
King of T20Is: Rohit surpassed Pakistan's Babar Azam to become the world's leading run-scorer in Twenty20 Internationals, leaving his mark with over 4,145 runs.
Dominating Captain: Rohit smashed the record for the highest score by an Indian captain in a T20 World Cup. His 92 surpassed Virat Kohli's 57 scored against Pakistan in 2021 and stands as the second-highest individual score by any captain in T20 World Cups, behind only Chris Gayle's 98 against India in 2010.
Six-Hitting Machine: Rohit unleashed eight sixes, becoming the most prolific Indian six-hitter in a T20 World Cup match. He broke Yuvraj Singh's record of seven sixes, registered against England in 2007.
Rapid Fifty: Reaching his fifty off just 19 balls, Rohit secured the third-fastest half-century by an Indian in T20 World Cups. Only Yuvraj Singh's 12-ball fifty (2007) and KL Rahul's 18-ball fifty (2021) were quicker.
A Global First: Rohit became the first batter in the world to hit a staggering 200 career sixes in T20Is. He leaves the competition far behind, with the second-highest six-hitter, Martin Guptill, at just 173 maximums.
World Cup Six King: Rohit climbed the ranks to become the second-most prolific six-hitter in the T20 World Cup, surpassing Jos Buttler and David Warner. His 48 sixes in 42 innings place him just behind Chris Gayle's record of 63 maximums in 31 innings.
Six-Fest Against Australia: Rohit etched his name in history by registering the record for hitting the most sixes against a single opponent in all internationals. He has now smashed a remarkable 132 sixes against Australia across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is combined, surpassing Chris Gayle's 130 maximums against England.
Record-Breaking Opener: Rohit matched Chris Gayle's record of 529 sixes as an opener in international cricket. Notably, Rohit achieved this feat in significantly fewer innings (349) compared to Gayle's 506.
Elite Company: Rohit joined the prestigious club of Indian batsmen with over 19,000 international runs. He becomes the fourth Indian to achieve this milestone, following legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rahul Dravid.
Almost a Century: While his knock fell short of a century, Rohit's 92 stands as the second-highest individual score by an Indian in a T20 World Cup match. The record for the highest score still belongs to Suresh Raina, who smashed a remarkable 101 against South Africa in 2010.
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