Bharat captain Rohit Sharma, the veteran opening
batter, achieved a rare feat during Bharat’s match against New Zealand in
Dharamsala in the ongoing ODI World Cup. Rohit became the first Indian player,
third overall, to hit 50 or more ODI sixes in a calendar year.
Before Rohit, only South Africa’s AB de Villiers and
West Indies great Chris Gayle had struck or more maximums in a calendar year.
Rohit attained the feat after hitting New Zealand
pacer Matt Henry for a six in the second over of India’s 274-run chase.
Batters with 50 ODI sixes in a calendar year
58 – AB de Villiers (2015)
56 – Chris Gayle (2019)
53 – Rohit Sharma (2023)
With Bharat chasing a target of 274, Rohit hit a
quickfire 46 before Lockie Ferguson dismissed him in the 12th over.
“Good start to the tournament. Job is half done.
Important to stay balanced. Not to think too far ahead. Important to stay in
the present. Shami took the opportunity with both hands. He has the experience
in these conditions and is a class bowler. At one stage, we were looking at 300
plus. Credit to our bowlers at the back end. I am enjoying my batting. Both are
different personalities but we (him and Gill) compliment each other.
Happy that we won. Nothing much to say. He (Kohli) has
done this for us so many years. He backed himself to do the job. Kohli and
Jadeja pulled us back when we lost a few wickets in the middle,” Rohit said after
the match.
Earlier, Daryl Mitchell hit a sparkling century to
guide New Zealand to 273 all out against India in Sunday’s top-of-the-table
clash in Dharamsala.
New Zealand lost their openers early after being
invited to bat first but Mitchell (130) and Rachin Ravindra (75) put on 159 to
get the innings back on track.
The stand was the highest between the two teams at a
World Cup for any wicket as the pair surpassed the previous best of 136 by
Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth in 1987.
Fast bowler Mohammed Shami helped Bharat pull things
back in the final 10 overs as he returned figures of 5-54 in his first
appearance at the tournament.
Ravindra departed in the 34th over but Mitchell kept
up the charge to raise his fifth ODI ton.
Agencies
