Former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra lauded skipper Rohit Sharma for playing a breathtaking knock against Pakistan in the ongoing edition of the ICC World Cup 2023 on Saturday. After Babar Azam's Pakistan folded for a paltry total of 191, Rohit played a sizzling knock to seal Team India's comfortable win over the 1992 world champions at the famous Narendra Modi Stadium.
The veteran Indian opener smashed 86 off 63 balls as India chased down the 192-run target in just 30.3 overs. While Rohit top-scored for India, premier batter Shreyas Iyer hit the winning runs to complete his gritty half-century in 62 deliveries. With the seven-wicket win over Babar's men, India handed Pakistan its first defeat of the ICC World Cup 2023. Rohit and Co. also extended India's unbeaten run against Pakistan to 8 matches at 50-over World Cups.
'Didn't understand Pakistan's ploy'
Speaking to Cricbuzz after India hammered Pakistan by seven wickets at the world's largest cricket stadium, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag questioned the gameplan of the Pakistan bowlers against an on-form Rohit. "Didn't understand Pakistan's ploy of bowling short to Rohit. Yes, he has gotten out playing the pull shot on odd occasions, but it doesn't trouble him largely. He was never going to get troubled on this wicket and on this ground. When he is in such form, it's very rare that he would mistime a pull shot," Sehwag said.
{{/usCountry}}Speaking to Cricbuzz after India hammered Pakistan by seven wickets at the world's largest cricket stadium, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag questioned the gameplan of the Pakistan bowlers against an on-form Rohit. "Didn't understand Pakistan's ploy of bowling short to Rohit. Yes, he has gotten out playing the pull shot on odd occasions, but it doesn't trouble him largely. He was never going to get troubled on this wicket and on this ground. When he is in such form, it's very rare that he would mistime a pull shot," Sehwag said.
{{/usCountry}}Former India fast bowler Nehra opined that Rohit would be disappointed in not getting a century in the low-scoring encounter between the traditional rivals. Opener Rohit has scored the most centuries (7) in the history of ODI World Cup. The 36-year-old surpassed Ricky Ponting by registering his 31st ODI ton in India's win over Afghanistan in match No.9 of the World Cup.
'Rohit will be disappointed…'
"When you have just 191 runs on the board, if you don't strike in the first 5-7 overs, it will always be difficult. And the way the Indian batters started in the first two overs, it just pushed them on the back foot. Rohit will be disappointed not to get to a hundred, but that's the kind of positive batting you expect from him once he is set. He didn't give them any chance to even think of having an opportunity to come back," Nehra added.