The third T20I between India and Afghanistan revolved around Rohit Sharma. The Indian captain was at his best throughout and the match took place at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
It was a perfect outing for him as he gave a solid reply to his enemies and hit a magnificent ton. The batsman oozed class and his innings came at a time when India were reeling at 22/4 after winning the toss and opting to bat first.
Not only with the bat but Rohit Sharma was also aggressive on the field. This was quite evident when he did not go easy on the referee after the referee denied giving any waist-high ball. It happened during the last ball of the 14th over.
Saleem Safi bowled a high delivery and Rohit missed at the right time. As soon as he reached the non-striker’s side, he asked the umpire for the no-ball, who refused to grant it to him. This did not sit well with the captain, as he seemed agitated and he had some harsh words to say.
Rohit Sharma even gestured for it to be checked, frustrated. You probably weren’t surprised by the referee’s decision. Even in the replays it was shown to be a clear no-ball and the crowd also supported captain Sharma.
Here is the video:
pic.twitter.com/T5j6V9onpy
– Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka (@Hanji_CricDekho) January 17, 2024
Rohit Sharma after that incident went crazy and became furious. He hit the Afghan bowlers all over the park and made no mistake. The batsman, after scoring two ducks in two games, made a huge contribution.
Rohit Sharma hit his fifth ton in the T20Is and finished with an unbeaten 121 runs off 69 balls. He batted at a strike rate of 175.36, along with 11 fours and 8 sixes in his innings. His innings propelled India to a total of 212 runs on the board.
IND vs AFG: It was important to bat long and deep – Rohit Sharma
After the match was over, Rohit Sharma praised young batsman Rinku Singh, who scored an unbeaten 69 runs and added 190 runs in association with the captain. He highlighted how the left-hander remains calm under pressure and knows his strength well.
Rohit Sharma said Rinku Singh playing the way he is doing is a good sign for the team’s future. He admitted that they needed someone to finish the innings and the batsman is playing that role to perfection. In the post-match presentation, he explained:
“I don’t remember the last time this happened. I think I batted 3 times in one of the IPL games. Creating the partnership was important and we (Rinku and I) kept talking to each other so as not to lose that intention in the big games and it was a good game for us, the pressure was there and it was important to bat long and deep and not compromise on the intention. that we want to show.
“In the last series he played he showed what he can do with the bat. He very calm and he knows his strength quite well. He is coming of age and doing what is expected of him and he has done very well for India. He bodes well for the team in the future, he wanted someone like that at the back and we know what he has done in the IPL and it has also brought him to Indian colours.”
India took the series by a margin of 3-0. It was the last series for them before the 2024 T20 World Cup.