India captain Rohit Sharma faced social media mockery after getting out cheaply in the 2023 Cricket World Cup game against Sri Lanka on Thursday.

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The 36-year-old cricketer, among the highest run-scorers in the current edition of the quadrennial event, was dismissed for four against Sri Lanka, putting India on the backfoot early on in the contest in Mumbai.

It was Rohit Sharma's first single-digit score in the World Cup since his duck in India's opening game against Australia in Chennai earlier this month.

After failing to open his account in India's World Cup opener, Rohit Sharma's aggressive approach laid the foundation for the home side's winning streak in the prestigious competition.

During India's ongoing campaign in the World Cup, Rohit Sharma has already scored a hundred and a couple of fifties.

But Thursday wasn't to be his day as he was clean-bowled by Sri Lankan pace spearhead Dilshan Madushanka by a beauty.

Nonetheless, Rohit Sharma's failure against Sri Lanka wasn't a complete surprise, given that his record at the Wankhede Stadium isn't that impressive.

Rohit Sharma's stats at Wankhede Stadium

16 vs South Africa in 2015

20 vs New Zealand in 2017

10 vs Australia in 2020

4 vs Sri Lanka in 2023

Though Rohit Sharma did not contribute heavily with the bat, the Men in Blue still posted a mammoth 357/8 on the board, thanks to scintillating knocks from Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer.

Shubman Gill looked good to score his maiden hundred in the World Cup but fell for 92 off 92 deliveries after playing a poor shot off Dilshan Madushanka in the 30th over.

Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer were undone by slower balls from the same bowler, losing their wickets for 88 and 82, respectively.

In reply, the entire Sri Lankan batting line-up fell like nine-pins, getting all-out for only 55 runs, handing India a 301-run victory at the Wankhede Stadium.

The Indian pacers led by Mohammed Shami were relentless throughout the Sri Lankan innings, and the islanders found no answer to their seam and swing bowling.

Mohammed Shami again picked up a fifer after his heroics against New Zealand in Dharamshala earlier in the World Cup.

On the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj started the carnage, with the former grabbing a wicket while the latter sent three back to the pavilion to leave Sri Lanka in tatters at 4/3.

Subsequently, it became a Mohammed Shami show as he ended up with figures of 5/18 to complete Sri Lanka's destruction in Mumbai.

The win over Sri Lanka made India the first team to qualify for the semifinals in the Cricket World Cup.

After seven matches, Rohit Sharma and his boys have 14 points and are the only side to remain unbeaten in the prestigious competition.

After the match, Rohit Sharma expressed his happiness about India making it through to the semifinals.

“Very happy knowing that we have officially qualified now. Been a good effort from the squad, when we started off in Chennai. This was our goal, to qualify first and then obviously to be in the semis and the finals. The way we approached these 7 games, it was quite clinical. Everyone put in the effort and a lot of individuals have put their hand up,” Rohit Sharma said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

The India skipper praised middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer for his whirlwind knock of 82 off 56 balls. Shreyas Iyer was under pressure to produce a good innings, with many cricket experts questioning his place in the side.

“Shreyas is a very strong (in his mind) lad and he went there and did what he is exactly known for and that is what we expect from him. Shreyas showed that he is ready to take the challenge that is in front of him,” Rohit Sharma added.

The Nagpur-born cricketer paid rich plaudits to Mohammed Siraj, who does the job for the team with the new ball.

“Siraj is a quality bowler and if he does that with new ball things look different for us. He has got a lot of skills when he is operating with the new ball,” Rohit Sharma noted.

Next, India will play South Africa in the tournament at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday in a clash between the top two sides in the 2023 Cricket World Cup.

Presently, the South Africans occupy the second spot on the table with 12 points.

“They (South Africa) are playing some good cricket, and so are we. It's going to be a great spectacle for the people out there and people of Kolkata are going to enjoy that game,” Rohit Sharma signed off.