Subscribe
Follow Us
Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar's reaction to Team India skipper Rohit Sharma's historic World Cup century against Afghanistan in Delhi went viral on Twitter, now rebranded as X.
The India captain smashed a stunning 131 off 84 balls to power India to a dominant eight-wicket win over Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
With his three-figure score in the national capital, he overhauled Sachin Tendulkar's mark for the most centuries in ICC ODI World Cups.
Rohit Sharma's century against Afghanistan was the 36-year-old's seventh in Cricket World Cup history. Remarkably, Rohit Sharma has scored seven tons in only three World Cups in 2015, 2019, and 2023.
In contrast, Sachin Tendulkar participated in five editions of the World Cup from 1992 to 2011 for his six centuries. His last World Cup hundred came against South Africa in 2011 when he made a quickfire 111 against South Africa in Bengaluru.
Sachin Tendulkar required 41 knocks for his six centuries, while Rohit Sharma accomplished in his 19th World Cup innings.
After Rohit Sharma surpassed him in the centuries department in the Cricket World Cup, Sachin Tendulkar hailed his achievement.
“Two fine performances by Bumrah and Rohit, who were well supported by the bowling and batting units respectively. The 2 games have seen different players contributing and that sets things up nicely for the 14th of October. Look forward!,” Sachin Tendulkar posted on the microblogging platform.
Also, Rohit Sharma shattered West Indies legend Chris Gayle's long-standing record for most sixes in international cricket.
Universe Boss Chris Gayle smashed 553 maximums in 551 knocks across formats, while Rohit Sharma has hit 556 sixes in only 473 innings.
After Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat, India restricted them to 272/8 on a belter of a track. Former cricketers, including India's 2011 World Cup hero Gautam Gambhir, criticized the curators for preparing such a pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, which had nothing for the bowlers.
“You can't make such tracks, which have nothing for the bowlers. Such pitches are bad exhibitions for cricket. There has to be something for the pacers and spinners. Scoring 400 runs or 350 runs will not help the future generations who want to make cricket their profession,” Gautam Gambhir said on air during the match.
However, the Indian bowlers, led by pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, kept a tightrope on the Afghan batters throughout their essay. Except for their captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (80) and Azmatullah Omarzai (62), no other Afghanistan batter got going, and in the end, they finished with a below-par score of 272/8.
India's response was all about the Rohit Sharma show. The India captain's blitzkrieg was such that Afghan bowlers were left stunned, as they had no answers to his explosive batting prowess at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, formerly known as the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.
Smoking boundaries and sixes at will, Rohit Sharma completed his fifty in just 30 balls before blasting his 31st ODI hundred in only 63 balls.
In the process, Rohit Sharma broke former India captain Kapil Dev's milestone for the quickest century in the World Cup.
In the 1983 World Cup, Kapil Dev completed a ton in 72 balls. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma touched the milestone in only 63 deliveries against Afghanistan.
Following Rohit Sharma's departure, Virat Kohli took centerstage in possibly his last World Cup game at his home ground.
Virat Kohli, who bailed out India from a tricky position in their World Cup opener against Australia, scoring a fighting 85 in Chennai, remained unbeaten on 55 off 56 balls in Delhi.
Rohit Sharma's hundred and Virat Kohli's half-century sealed an 8-wicket triumph for India with 15 overs to spare. The win against Afghanistan took the Men in Blue to the second spot in the table behind New Zealand.
Rohit Sharma's masterful knock against Afghanistan earned him rave reviews from the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, who was in awe of his batting in the national capital.
“I'm very happy that he got a hundred because he missed out on a lot of hundreds. With him, he is a risk taker. And therefore sometimes, what happens is, in the 60s, 70s – look at the number of times – where he got the team off to a flying start with half-centuries. But he wants to carry on in the same way because it benefits the team. For example, today, you get that (run rate of) 8 runs per over,” the 1983 World Cup winner told Star Sports.
“The strike rate, it helps your net run rate. Who knows what's gonna happen? After another 5-6 matches. You might need those decimal points to qualify. So clearly, he might have missed out on a few hundred, but he entertained all of us. And today was another special occasion. Some of the sixes that he hit, are just unbelievable,” Sunil Gavaskar elaborated.
“Every century of his is a delight to watch. Because there is that ease with which he seems to be caressing the ball when he is hitting the ball along the ground. Very few batters have the ability to pull, off the front foot that he does. Same thing with Virender Sehwag, Viru was also similar. Opening batter, goes bang-bang and scores 60s-70s, 80s,” the ex-India skipper explained.
“Rohit is a risk-taker and therefore, sometimes, what happens is in the 60s and 70s, he has got out. Look at the number of times he has got the team off to a flying start, but he wants to carry on in the same way because it benefits the team. He has missed out a few times but he has entertained all of us. Today, he played a special knock and some of the sixes that he hit were just unbelievable,” Sunil Gavaskar underlined.
Like Sunil Gavaskar, former India coach Ravi Shastri lauded Rohit Sharma.
“Seven hundreds across 8 years in World Cup cricket is a fabulous achievement. It's not easy to have that hunger and come back. Even Sachin Tendulkar needed 6 World Cups. And this guy, in 3 World Cups in a span of 8 years has got 7 centuries. It’s a lot and he is not finished yet. There are a lot of games left in the tournament and as an opening batter, early doze in the tournament with more league matches coming, if you start getting hundreds, then there is every chance you might add two or three,” Ravi Shastri said in a discussion on the tournament's official broadcaster.
“There is one word you associate with Rohit Sharma which you cannot use with too many other players. When in full flight, he is unhurried in whatever he does. Even where there is intent and he is chipping down the track, he is in no hurry. The flow of the bat is the same – against pace and spin. He has got natural timing and power. It's a deadly combination. When you have these two, you make even the biggest grounds in the world look small,” Ravi Shastri pointed out.
