Rohit Sharma has led India to victory after 11 years, as the Men in Blue won their first ICC trophy since 2013. On June 29, India beat South Africa by seven runs to win their second T20 World Cup, the first since 2007.
Rohit Sharma became the second Indian captain to win the T20 World Cup and also announced his retirement from T20 cricket, joining Virat Kohli, who had previously retired from T20Is.
At the post-match conference, Rohit said it was the perfect time to retire after winning the trophy. He expressed his love for the format, having started his career with it.
“This was my last T20I game. There’s no better time to say goodbye. I’ve loved every moment of this. I wanted to win the cup,” Rohit said.
Rohit was the second-highest run-scorer in the 2024 World Cup, with 257 runs in eight matches at a strike rate of 156.7, including three half-centuries. He retires as the player with the most runs in T20Is, with 4231 runs in 159 matches, 32 fifties, and five centuries.
As we bid farewell to one of the greats of Indian cricket, let’s look at Rohit Sharma’s top five T20I performances.
5. In a series led by Rohit Sharma, India defeats England.
India played against England in the final match of a three-game series in 2018. India won the toss and decided to bowl first. Jason Roy scored 67 runs, helping England reach 198 runs.
In reply, India lost Shikhar Dhawan early, but Rohit Sharma played exceptionally well. He stayed unbeaten with 100 runs off 56 balls. Rohit hit 11 fours and five sixes, and got good support from Virat Kohli (43) and Hardik Pandya (33). India won the match by seven wickets with eight balls remaining. This was Rohit’s third T20I century, earning him the Player of the Match award.
ALSO READ: Let’s look back at some of his best T20I performances over the years.
4. Rohit led from the front against the West Indies in 2018
The West Indies won the toss and decided to bowl first in the second game of a three-match series at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. Indian captain Rohit Sharma played brilliantly, hitting the West Indies bowlers all over the field.
Rohit stayed not out with 111 runs from 61 balls, helping India score 195 runs in their 20 overs. He hit eight fours and seven sixes.
The West Indian batters struggled in their chase and couldn’t reach the target. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kuldeep Yadav each took two wickets, leading India to a 71-run victory.
3. In 2024, the captain of India demonstrates his class against Australia
India played against Australia in their last game of the Super-Eights in the 2024 T20 World Cup. India lost Virat Kohli early, but Rohit Sharma played brilliantly. In the third over, Rohit hit Mitchell Starc for four sixes and a four.
Rohit continued to play well and scored 92 runs off 41 balls, just missing a century by eight runs. India posted a total of 205 runs.
In response, Travis Head (76) and Mitchell Marsh (37) tried hard, but Australia couldn’t reach the target. India won by 24 runs, qualifying for the semi-finals and putting Australia’s hopes in danger.
ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma Celebrates India T20 World Cup Win as Dream Realized
2. In 2024, the right-handed hitter beat Afghanistan in the T20s to record his greatest score
The second on the list is Rohit Sharma’s performance against Afghanistan earlier this year. It was the last game of the series, and India was struggling at 22-4. Then Rohit and Rinku Singh (who scored 68) formed a 190-run partnership, helping India reach 212 runs.
Rohit started slowly but later played confidently against the Afghan bowlers. He stayed not out, scoring 121 runs from 69 balls, with 11 fours and eight sixes.
Afghanistan responded well, with Gurbaz, Gulbadin, and Ibrahim Zadran all scoring fifties, pushing the game to a Super Over. India eventually won after the second Super Over, as the first one ended in a tie.
1. Rohit Sharma’s 2017 record-breaking inning against Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to field first in the second game of a three-match series at Holkar Stadium in 2017. But they weren’t prepared for what happened next. Indian openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul had an amazing start with a 165-run partnership.
Rahul scored 89 runs off 49 balls, but Rohit was the star, hitting the fastest century by an Indian in T20s in just 35 balls. Rohit, who captained the T20 World Cup-winning team, made 118 runs in just 43 balls, helping India reach a total of 260 runs. He hit 12 fours and 10 sixes.
In reply, Kusal Perera scored 77 runs, but it wasn’t enough. India won the match easily by 88 runs, with Yuzvendra Chahal taking four wickets on this memorable day for Rohit Sharma.
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