Rohit Sharma starred with the bat in India’s 24-run victory over Australia in the Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2024 at St Lucia on Monday (June 24).
Invited to bat first, the Men in Blue lost Virat Kohli for a five-ball duck in the second over. Despite the loss of an early wicket, Rohit launched a brutal assault on the Australian bowling attack.
The Indian skipper made his intention clear in the third over itself as he smashed Mitchell Starc for four sixes and a boundary. Rohit continued his carnage from there on and all the Aussie bowlers were taken to the cleaners.
The right-handed opener brought up his half-century off 19 balls - the fastest fifty of this T20 World Cup. He added 87 runs for the second wicket with Rishabh Pant (15 off 14) and followed it with a 34-run stand with Suryakumar Yadav (31 off 16).
Rohit was looking set for a three-figure mark but a yorker from Starc took the inside edge of his bat and crashed into the stumps. He may have fallen 8 runs short of his maiden T20 World Cup hundred but the Indian captain’s knock, studded with seven boundaries and eight sixes, drew him a lot of praise.
Former Pakistan skipper Shoaib Akhtar also showered rich praise on Rohit Sharma’s match-winning exploits against the formidable Australian side.
In a video posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Akhtar highlighted the transformation in India's mindset after their defeat against Australia in the ODI World Cup final last November.
"The depression that India had after losing the last World Cup final, the one they deserved to win...that depression has now turned into obsession that we have to beat Australia here. Then Rohit Sharma did what he should have done, played with such intent. Rohit ne kya fainti lagayi hai Mitchell Starc ki (Rohit completely annihilated Starc). My heart wanted Rohit Sharma to score 150 today," Akhtar said in the video.
Here's the post:
With this victory, India secured a spot in the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final, where they will be up against Jos Buttler’s England at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Thursday (June 27).
