3rd T20I: Ton-up Rohit, Rinku lead India's fightback against Afghanistan
A record-breaking partnership between Rohit Sharma and Rinku Singh powered India to 212/4 against Afghanistan in the 3rd T20I in Bengaluru. They batted together for more than 15 overs after India were reduced to 22/4. While Rinku slammed a 39-ball 69*, Rohit went on to score a record-breaking fifth T20I century. While Fareed Ahmad took three wickets, the innings' last over produced 36 runs.
A horrible start for India
India were off to a steady start after electing to bat first. While Rohit and Yashasvi Jaiswal were unscathed in the first two overs, Fareed dismissed the latter in the third over. He removed Virat Kohli on the very next delivery. While Azmatullah Omarzai dismissed Shivam Dube, Fareed got rid of Sanju Samson. India were tottering on 30/4 in six overs.
India's joint-lowest score at fall of fourth wicket
India lost four wickets for just 22 runs. This is now their joint-lowest score at the fall of fourth wicket in T20Is. They were also down to 22/4 against Australia in the 2008 MCG encounter.
An incredible stand between Rohit and Rinku
While the bowler-friendly pitch and conditions thwarted India, a century-plus partnership between Rohit and Rinku saved India from sinking. The duo helped India recover brick-by-brick, guiding them past 80 in 12 overs. While Rinku consistently rotated the strike, Rohit cleared the rope on several occasions. The 100-run partnership came up in the 16th over. They eventually took India past 200 in no time.
Kohli records his first golden duck in T20Is
India lost Jaiswal in the third over, which exposed Kohli in the middle. The latter was caught off gaurd as pacer Fareed Ahmad straightaway tested him with a short ball. Kohli was caught at mid-off in an attempt to pull. According to Cricbuzz, Kohli recorded his first-ever golden duck in T20I cricket. Overall, this was his fifth duck in the shortest international format.
Left-arm pacers have troubled Kohli
Out of his five ducks in T20Is, Kohli recorded three while falling to left-arm seamers. Afghanistan's Fareed Ahmad, who dismissed Kohli in the Bengaluru T20I, is one of these left-arm pacers.
A counter-attacking and rescuing ton from Rohit
Rohit, who recorded ducks in India's first two encounters, regained his Midas touch in Bengaluru. He firmly held his end as India lost four wickets in the Powerplay in testing conditions. Rohit counter-attacked with his incredible hits in the middle phase. Working in tandem with Rinku, he reached his century in the 19th over. Interestingly, Rohit was batting at 17(24) at one stage.
Most tons in T20I cricket
Rohit slammed his fifth century, now the most by a batter in T20I cricket. He went past his compatriot Suryakumar Yadav and Australia's Glenn Maxwell, each of whom has four tons in the format.
Rohit's highest T20I score
Rohit returned unbeaten on 121 off 69 balls, a knock laced with 11 fours and 8 sixes. From reverse sweeps to stylish pulls, the knock had some riveting strokes. He started cautiously but finished with a strike rate of 175.36. Rohit registered his highest score in the shortest international format, gonig past 118 against Sri Lanka in 2017 in Indore.
Most T20I runs as Indian captain
Rohit scripted another record in the match. He surpassed Virat Kohli to become India's highest run-scorer as captain in T20I cricket. Rohit, led India for the 54th time in the format, attained the feat with his 44th run in the match. He is only behind Aaron Finch, Babar Azam, and Kane Williamson in terms of T20I runs as captain.
Rinku plays another fine knock
While Rohit counter-attacked with big hits, Rinku safeguarded the other end. He didn't fall prey to Afghanistan's short-ball ploy. Rinku smashed 69 off 39 balls, a knock studded with 2 fours and 6 sixes. Notably, three of these maximums came on the final three deliveries of the innings. Rinku slammed his second T20I fifty and recorded his highest score in the format.
India's highest partnership in T20Is
Rohit and Rinku added 190 runs for the fifth wicket. This India's highest partnership for any wicket in T20Is. The previous highest partnership in this regard was between Deepak Hooda and Sanju Samson (176 runs vs Ireland, 2022). Nepal's DS Airee and Kushal Malla previouslt held the record for the highest T20I stand for the fifth wicket or below (145 vs Hong Kong, 2023).
