Rohit Sharma in a chat with Hardik Pandya after the match© Twitter
India captain Rohit Sharma turned his entertainment mode on as the team came up against Pakistan in a Cricket World Cup 2023 clash on Saturday. Rohit played T20 cricket in the ODI format, scoring 86 runs in just 63 balls as India chased down the target of 192 runs in just 30.3 overs. During his stay on the crease, Rohit’s sixes mesmerised even Pakistani players and umpires, as questions over his power-hitting arose. After hitting a six, Rohit even showed his bicep to the on-field umpire on being asked if there was something in his bat that was sending the ball into the stands.
After Rohit’s heroics with the bat fast-tracked India’s successful chase in the match, India all-rounder Hardik Pandya caught up with him, asking him what the muscle gesture on the field was. Here’s how the conversation went:
Hardik Pandya: “Wo celebration kya tha (what was that celebration)?”
Rohit Sharma:“They were asking me itna lamba chakka kaise maarte ho? Tere bat mein kuch hai. Maine bola bat nahi power hai (They were asking how do I hit such big sixes? Is there something in my bat? I said, it’s not the bat, it’s my power)”.
Rohit Sharma – A complete entertainer on & off the field. pic.twitter.com/KiutSCWmFY
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 15, 2023
Rohit had nothing but praise for his team’s all-round show against Pakistan that enabled a 7-wicket win at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
“The bowlers were the ones today as well who set the game up for us. I don’t think it was a 190 pitch. At one stage we were looking at 280. The way they showed grit says a lot. That is something we pride ourselves in. Whoever gets the ball does the job. We’ve got 6 individuals who can do the job with the ball. My job as a captain is important there as well. It’s to read the conditions and figure out who’s the right guy to do the job.
“It’s only because the guys – before entering the WC – they got a lot of runs. We were very clear what we wanted to do. Didn’t want to be in two minds about who’s going to bat where. All in all, it’s looking good. Want to keep my fingers crossed. Don’t want to get too excited. Don’t want to get too low as well. Want to stay balanced. Keep calm and keep moving forward. Every opposition we come up against are all quality. You have to play well on that particular day, and that’s what we’re looking at,” Rohit said after the match.
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