Rohit Sharma is no stranger to shattering records in limited-overs cricket. Just over a week ago, he became the first batsman ever to hit three double hundreds in ODIs and it doesn’t look like he is going to stop creating history any time soon. On Friday, the stand-in Indian cricket skipper was once again in devastating touch as he scored a record-equalling 35-ball century at the Holkar Stadium in Indore to guide his team to a comfortable T20 series win over Sri Lanka. Thanks to his blistering knock, he became the joint-fastest centurion, equalling South African David Miller’s record in T20 Internationals. (HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD)
Like most of Rohit Sharma’s classic knocks, this one was also not only about power hitting. The 30-year old looked extremely comfortable from the very first delivery and throughout his stay at the pitch, he cut and drove the clueless Lankan bowlers at will. Rohit Sharma smashed 12 fours and 10 sixes during his 43-ball stay at the crease with more than 91 percent of his runs coming from boundaries.
The other remarkable factor about Rohit Sharma’s innings on Friday was the acceleration he showed after reaching his fifty. Rohit did not start looking for the big sixes early in his innings and the majority of his runs were scored through cuts and pulls. When he reached his fifty with a six in the eighth over, it was just the second over-boundary he had hit till that point. However, that changed quickly as the Indian cricket team skipper unleashed his destructive side over the next three overs.
He slammed Asela Gunaratne for a huge six over mid-wicket to signal his intent and there was no stopping him after that. Thisara Perera was his next victim as he scored four sixes off the medium pacer in the 11th over. The crowd was in for a show as he slammed two balls over the mid-wicket boundary and then followed it up with one over backward point and one over the covers.
The third six of the over took Rohit Sharma’s tally to 64 sixes in 2017, setting the record for most sixes across all formats in a calendar year. This was the third time that Rohit has hit 10-plus sixes in a game and he overtook South Africa’s AB de Villiers, who slammed 63 sixes in 2015.
Rohit Sharma finally brought up his century in just 35 balls with a boundary off Angelo Matthews, with his last 50 runs coming in 12 balls. It was a truly special innings by the new ‘master blaster’ of Indian cricket, and considering his form, Rohit will surely be an asset for his side in the tour of South Africa.