India captain Rohit Sharma hit a 39-ball fifty, leading the team’s rain-affected chase of 145 against Nepal in their Group A Asia Cup 2023 match in Pallekele on Monday, September 4. Rohit started on a wobbly note but he took the attack to the Nepal bowlers once the players returned from a long rain break in the late evening in the Sri Lankan city.
Rohit Sharma hit 5 boundaries and 3 sixes as he returned to his dominant best with the bat. It was a much-needed knock from the India captain after he failed against Pakistan in their Asia Cup 2023 opener, getting out bowled to Shaheen Shah Afridi. It was Rohit Sharma’s 49th ODI fifty and his first since the hundred against New Zealand against Indore on January 24, 2023.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill brought up a 100-plus stand as the two openers put India on the courrse for a comfortable win in the rain-affected match.
Asia Cup 2023, IND vs NEP Updates
During the course of the innings, Rohit Sharma also overtook Virat Kohli as India’s leading run-getter in the Asia Cup. Rohit went past Kohli’s tally of 1046 runs. Not only that, Rohit Sharma also overtook Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara’s tally of 1075 runs to move to the 2nd spot in the all-time batting charts in the continental tournament.
Only Sanath Jayasuriya has scored more runs than Rohit Sharma in Asia Cup tournaments (both ODI and T20I formats). Rohit Sharma also hit his 250th six as an opener, joining Sanath Jayasuriya and Chris Gayle in an elite ODI list. Rohit was not hesitant to hit the big sixes on Monday as India were chasing 145 in 23 overs via DLS system.
Rohit Sharma has hit a hundred and 9 fifties in the Asia Cup while Virat Kohli has 4 hundreds and as many fifties.
MOST RUNS IN ASIA CUP (ODIS and T20Is)
1. Sanath Jayasuriya – 1220 runs in 25 matches
2. Rohit Sharma – 1080* runs in 33 matches
3. Kumar Sangakkara – 1075 runs in 24 matches
4. Virat Kohli – 1046 runs in 23 matches
5. Sachin Tendulkar – 971 runs in 23 matches
Questions were asked of Rohit Sharma’s form after Shaheen Shah Afridi-led Pakistan bowling attack troubled the India captain on Saturday. However, the India skipper came out all guns blazing, albeit against an inexperienced bowling attack of Nepal, who were making their Asia Cup debut.
Earlier in the day, India restricted Nepal to 230 in 48.5 overs. Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja shared 3 wickets apiece. Nepal came up with a fine effort with the bat, riding on a fifty from Aasif Sheikh and 48 for Sompal Kami, days after getting shot out for 104 while chasing 343 against Pakistan.
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