Rohit Sharma is enjoying a good run of form in the Asia Cup. In the three innings in which he has batted so far in the tournament the Indian captain has scored three consecutive half-centuries. The right-hander continued his rich vein of form in the Super Four clash against Sri Lanka as well and scored a quick-fire fifty on a difficult pitch at R Premadasa stadium in Colombo.
Rohit became the second fastest batter to score 10000 runs in ODI cricket Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Sourav Ganguly, Brian Lara, Chris Gayle, MS Dhoni, and even his coach Rahul Dravid were left miles behind.
The Hitman
Against Sri Lanka in India’s Asia Cup 2023 Super Four match at Colombo, Rohit, playing his 241st ODI innings, reached the landmark with a six, which made him the highest six-hitter in Asia Cup history surpassing Shahid Afridi in the process. He is also the quickest to complete 8000 runs as an opener in ODI cricket.
Rohit has been in great form in 2023, especially in ODI cricket which started with him scoring a hundred against Sri Lanka earlier this year and his partnership with Shubman Gill has been something of note with the World Cup just a few days away.
The Opening Partnership
The pair has added 1000 runs opening the innings together. In just 12 innings, Rohit and Gill have amassed 1046 runs and counting at an average of 91.3, including five fifty and four-century partnerships.
Talking about the Indian innings batting first after winning the toss on a dry pitch India got off to a good start as the opening pair of Rohit and Gill added 80 runs for the first wicket before Gill got an absolute beauty of a delivery from the 20-year-old left arm spinner Dunith Wellalage who took his maiden five-wicket haul in international cricket.
He was well supported by part-time spinner Charith Asalanka who took four wickets with his off spin which bundled out India for 213. It is also the first when all 10 Indian wickets were taken by spinners in a match
