Rohit Sharma fails to end T20 WC on high, registers career-best campaign in marquee tournament

Bridgetown [Barbados], June 29 (ANI): Indian skipper Rohit Sharma concluded his best ICC T20 World Cup as a batter following his dismissal during the title clash against South Africa at Bridgetown on Saturday.

Though the skipper had lit up the T20 WC with his fine knocks against Australia in the Super Eights and defending champions England in the semifinals, he could not make it big during the finals.

In the title clash against Proteas, he had started off fine with two successive fours against Keshav Maharaj, including a classy reverse sweep, but was caught by Heinrich Klaasen at backwards square leg for nine in five balls, while attempting a sweep.

In eight matches this tournament, Rohit ended with 257 runs at an average of 36.71, with a strike rate of 156.70. His best score was 92 in 41 balls against Australia, which consisted of seven fours and eight sixes. He ended up as the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament.

The top run-scorer in the tournament so far is Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who scored 281 runs in eight matches at an average of 35.12, with a strike rate of 124.33, with three half-centuries. His best score is 80.

In 47 matches of his T20 World Cup career, Rohit has scored 1,220 runs at an average of 34.85 and a strike rate of 133.04. His best score is 92. Rohit has smashed 12 half-centuries in 44 games in the tournament and is the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament’s history.

Coming to the match, India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat against South Africa in the final of the T20 World Cup here at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, on Saturday. At the end of 10 overs, India is 75/3, with Virat Kohli (36) and Axar Patel (26) unbeaten. India lost wickets of skipper Rohit, Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav early.

On their way to the final, the Proteas recorded an authoritative nine-wicket win to end Afghanistan’s dream campaign, India defeated England by 68 runs and took revenge for their defeat in the semis of the 2022 edition.

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah

South Africa (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram(c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi.