The fifth-wicket pair hammered 58 runs in the last two overs of India’s innings, a new record in T20Is
In the third T20 International against Afghanistan in Bengaluru, India staged one of the most amazing comebacks in Twenty20 International history, going from 22 for 4 to a commanding 212 for 4. Rohit Sharma and Rinku Singh, who put on an unbroken 190 for the fifth wicket off of just 95 balls, were the masterminds behind this comeback. For any wicket, it was India’s highest T20I partnership to date.
Almost doubling their score from the 15 overs, India scored 103 runs in the final five overs of the innings thanks to the furious attack of Rohit and Rinku. A T20I record of fifty-eight runs was achieved in the final two overs alone, surpassing Nepal’s September 2023 total of 55 against Mongolia.
Rinku finished with 39 off and Rohit with 121 off 69 balls, both without a loss. These are the events of the last two overs.
the final two overs. Approaching milestones are two batters. Omarzai returns for his final opportunity. Who bowls the final over, I wonder?
18.1: Azmatullah to Rinku Singh, 1 run
Full, outside off, single to deep cover
18.2: Azmatullah to Rohit Sharma, SIX runs
RGS into the 90s. An on-pace ball right in his slot. Rohit clears the front leg, and slogs him effortlessly over midwicket. This is meat and drink for him
18.3: Azmatullah to Rohit Sharma, FOUR runs
One short of another hundred. Makes room early, Omarzai goes for the slower short ball, but Rohit manages to beat short fine with the pull. Rolls his wrists on it
18.4: Azmatullah to Rohit Sharma, FOUR runs
It’s there. A unique hundred. a fifth in Twenty20 Internationals. That is enormous. Once more creating space, Omarzai attempts to swerve, but Rohit dodges it and moves the man aside. Although Chinnaswamy received a bonus from Rohit, they were primarily there to see Kohli. By the way, two years ago in a dead rubber match against Afghanistan, Kohli also reversed his previous form by hitting a century. Though his T20 stats haven’t been great the past few years, Rohit is still in form. So maybe this is just the beginning of something truly amazing.
18.5: Azmatullah to Rohit Sharma, 1 run
Misses out on a thigh-high full toss, gets just the single to long-off
18.6: Azmatullah to Rinku Singh, SIX runs
Now Rinku brings up his fifty. Omarzai misses the yorker again, and you just can’t bowl slot balls to these batters. Over long-off it goes
Janat to bowl the last over. This is matyhem
19.1: Karim Janat to Rohit Sharma, FOUR runs
Rohit predicts a wide ball with the field given to him, shimmies across and laps a wide full toss over square leg for four more
19.2: Karim Janat to Rohit Sharma, (no ball) SIX runs
Make a police report. The star of the show is Rohit. juicy whole throw. Not to mention a front-foot no-ball. This has taken off thanks to Rohit. He can hit these balls with closed eyes. particularly when he is not out at 108
19.2: Karim Janat to Rohit Sharma, SIX runs
Now, Rohit has the highest T20I score. On this pitch, you should be playing slower, shorter balls, but Rohit has hit one over wide long-on for another six.
19.3: Karim Janat to Rohit Sharma, 1 run
Lands the yorker, Rohit opens the face, but can’t get it past short third
Over the wicket
19.4: Karim Janat to Rinku Singh, SIX runs
Slower ball, 111ks, but right in the slot. Rinku creates the power with his bat speed in the slog. Clears deep midwicket. Carnage
19.5: Karim Janat to Rinku Singh, SIX runs
Absolute mayhem. Janat misses his length again. Another juicy full toss, and Rinku has flicked it ways into the stands. What power in his wrists
19.6: Karim Janat to Rinku Singh, SIX runs
36 off the over, with a four, five sixes, and no ball. Rinku concluded with six, six, six. This time, Janat is hitting everything clean, but he still goes short. Uses the pull to successfully clear the deep square leg
From the previous five overs, that is 103 runs. Save for these two, everyone else received a single figure. The slow pitch made it difficult for these two to try everything. The rookie Saleem was then the target of Rohit. And as soon as it began to come off, Afghanistan’s wheels came off. For Rohit, a fifth T20I hundred. A few innings, a few fireworks.
