Rohit Sharma has been a key performer for India in the 2023 World Cup. Instead of seeing his eye in and then altering gears, the Indian skipper has revised his batting template and attempted to give an immediate impact to the innings.
So far in the major tournament, Rohit Sharma has scored 442 runs in eight matches. In the competition, he has two half-centuries and one century, with a strike rate of 122.78. In eight innings, he had a batting average of 55.25.
While Rohit Sharma may not have the most runs or hundreds in the 2023 World Cup, he has had the greatest influence of any batter. In this essay, we will examine three such knocks in which Rohit Sharma despatched practically every delivery that came his way and had an immediate impact on the team.
1. Rohit Sharma Blasts 40 off 24 Balls as India Dominate South Africa in Kolkata
Last Sunday, India faced South Africa at Eden Gardens. The pitch in Kolkata was not ideal for batting, but Rohit Sharma turned it into a batting paradise. At the top of the order, the Hitman hammered 40 runs off only 24 balls, ensuring India got off to a flying start.
Sharma hit six fours and two sixes in his innings. He took use of the field limits in the powerplay to tease South Africa’s in-form speed bowling attack. Despite falling 10 runs short of his half-century, Sharma’s fast runs allowed Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer to take their time and become calm in the middle.
The Indian skipper batted at around 170 rpm and made an immediate impact for the Men in Blue.
2. Rohit Sharma Demolishes Afghanistan with a Blistering 131 off 84 in World Cup
Afghanistan has emerged as the World Cup 2023 underdog. In the big event, Hashmatullah Shahidi’s team defeated past world champions Pakistan, England, and Sri Lanka. They even vanquished the Netherlands’ huge killers.
Afghanistan batted brilliantly against India in Delhi, scoring 272/8 in 50 overs. Chasing a target of 273, India needed a strong start, which Rohit Sharma supplied. He immediately attacked the Afghanistan bowlers and played at the same speed.
Sharma ended with 131 runs off 84 balls. His innings featured 16 fours and five sixes. That effort had such an immediate impact that India chased down the 273-run total in just 35 overs and won by eight wickets.
3. Rohit Sharma’s Brilliant 86(63) in World Cup: Pakistan Had No Chance
India took on Pakistan at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. With around 100,000 people in attendance, the players would have found it difficult to have an immediate effect in the game. However, Rohit Sharma shrugged off the added pressure and played his usual style.
Chasing a difficult goal of 192 runs, Sharma blasted 86 runs off 63 balls against Pakistan’s world-class pace attack. His inning had six fours and six sixes. After Sharma’s dismissal, Pakistan had no chance of making a comeback in the game. India won by seven wickets in the 31st over alone.
