India vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup 2022: Rohit smashes record held by Tendulkar, Afridi during 41-ball 72 – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Rohit Sharma had struggled early in the Asia Cup but managed to show signs of form during his 16-ball 28 against Pakistan on Sunday.

And on Tuesday, in a must-win game against Sri Lanka in Dubai, Rohit produced a captain’s knock with a 41-ball 72 that rescued India from a shaky start and laid the foundation for a competitive score.

‘Hitman’ smashed five fours and four sixes during his entertaining stay at the crease as fans rejoiced his return to form after a lean patch with the bat. He was in full flow during his knock, delighting viewers with an array of delightful shots including his trademark pulls.

Rohit began counterattack not long after the Men in Blue had lost the wickets of KL Rahul and Virat Kohli early after being invited to bat. The momentum shifted away from the Lankans after Rohit took Asitha Fernando to the cleaners in the fifth over, collecting a six and a four off consecutive deliveries.

He later brought up his half-century in 32 deliveries, his 28th half-century in T20I cricket. And by the time he departed, holing out to Pathum Nissanka off Chamika Karunaratne’s bowling, India were in the driver’s seat.

Besides bouncing back to form in style, Rohit did break a record or two along the way — records held by none other than Sachin Tendulkar and Shahid Afridi.

Rohit became the first Indian batter to score 1,000 runs in Asia Cup history, going past batting legend Tendulkar, who was the previous highest run-scorer among Indians in the tournament with 970 runs.

Additionally, Rohit went past Afridi’s record for most sixes in the Asia Cup. ‘Hitman’ collected four sixes in his innings, taking his Asia Cup tally to 29. Afridi was the previous record-holder with 26 sixes to his name.

India eventually finished on 173/8, with Dilshan Madushanka leading the Lankan fightback in the slog overs and finishing the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/24.

Sri Lanka then got off to a flying start thanks to their openers Pathum Nissanka (52) and Kusal Mendis (57), both of whom scored fifties and stitched a 97-run opening stand. The Lankans at one stage were running away with the game, and were firm favourites at the halfway stage of their chase, before Yuzvendra Chahal’s triple strike and Ravichandran Ashwin’s dismissal of Danushka Gunathilaka brought them back in the game.

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