Asia Cup 2023: Indian captain Rohit Sharma unlocks these achievements
India thrashed Nepal in a run-curtailed Asia Cup 2023 fixture in Pallekele. The Men in Blue chased down the revised target of 145 runs, with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill leading the charge. The former led from the front, having smashed an unbeaten 74(59). He slammed his 10th fifty-plus score in the Asia Cup. Here are the records he broke.
Here's how the match panned out
Nepal openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh added 65 runs after India elected to field. However, Shardul Thakur broke the crucial stand. Ravindra Jadeja's triple strikes initiated Nepal's batting collapse. Knocks from Aasif (58) and Sompal Kami (48) guiding Nepal past 200. India's target was down to 145 (23) after rain intervened. Rohit and Gill made it one-sided as India won by 10 wickets.
Rohit slams his 49th ODI half-century
Rohit finally broke his string of low scores in white-ball cricket. After surviving the initial spell, the Indian skipper negotiated the Nepal bowlers with his thunderous strikes. Rohit, who featured in his 246th ODI, scored his 49th half-century in the format. He returned unbeaten on 74 off 59 balls, a knock laced with 6 fours and five maximums.
Most fifty-plus scores for India in ODI Asia Cup
Rohit now holds the record for smashing the most fifty-plus scores (10) in the Asia Cup (ODIs and T20Is combined) among Indians. He broke the record of Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, who recorded nine such scores. In the ODI Asia Cup, Rohit has the second-most 50+ scores (8), only behind Tendulkar (9). Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara leads this list, with 12 scores.
The Hitman enters this list
Rohit slammed five sixes, the joint third-most in an ODI Asia Cup innings for India, with Suresh Raina (vs Hong Kong, 2008) and Virender Sehwag (vs Pakistan, 2008). They are behind Sourav Ganguly (7 vs Bangladesh, 2000) and MS Dhoni (6 vs HK, 2008).
Rohit attains another feat
As per Bharath Seervi, Rohit is now among the three batters to have slammed five-plus sixes in an ODI innings more than 15 times. He achieved this feat for the 16th time in the format. Chris Gayle (23) and Shahid Afridi (18) are the others.
Other notable records broken by Rohit
Rohit now holds the record for smashing the most sixes by an Indian in the ODI Asia Cup (22). The previous record was held by Raina (18). He became the first Indian and third overall player to complete 250 ODI sixes (252) as captain. Rohit surpassed Sangakkara (1,075) to become the second-highest run-scorer (1,101) in the Asia Cup (ODIs and T20Is combined).
Rohit eyes 10,000-run mark in ODIs
In an international career spanning over a decade, Rohit has now slammed 9,922 runs at an average of 48.87. The tally includes as many as 30 tons. Rohit remains the only batter to have slammed three double-centuries in the format. In India's next encounter, he could become only the sixth Indian to touch the 10,000-run milestone in ODI cricket.
