Last Updated: January 22, 2023, 4:02 p.m
Rohit Sharma walks back after his fifty against New Zealand in Raipur.
Earlier, India’s relentless pace attack ran through a fragile New Zealand batting line-up as the hosts cantered to an eight-wicket win in the second ODI to seal the three-match series here on Saturday.
Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan has said that fans must not be thinking too much about Rohit Sharma’s form, adding that he has been justified as the skipper scored 51 runs against New Zealand in the second ODI match in Raipur. Speaking to Star Sports, he said: “I am repeatedly saying that you shouldn’t worry too much about Rohit Sharma’s form at all. This was his first half-century while chasing against New Zealand and it came at the right time.”
He said that Rohit was in cruise control for most part of the innings barring a close leg-before appeal early in his innings. He said: “He made only one mistake when the ball hit his pads, there was an lbw appeal, they wanted to take the DRS but didn’t take it. But other than that, he looked in complete control, we saw amazing shots, on the up on the off side and the leg side.”
Rohit was struck on the pads by Lockie Ferguson off the third delivery of the Indian innings before he had opened his account. Tom Latham opted not to take a review thinking there was an inside edge but the replays suggested otherwise.
Earlier, India’s relentless pace attack ran through a fragile New Zealand batting line-up as the hosts cantered to an eight-wicket win in the second ODI to seal the three-match series here on Saturday.
The Mohammed Shami-led attack produced an incisive effort to bowl out New Zealand for a meagre 108 before India knocked off the runs in 20.1 overs. Rohit Sharma hit a sublime 50 off 51 balls while Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 40 off 53 deliveries.
It was an emphatic win but the sea of fans that had flocked the remotely located Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium for Raipur’s first international game was left wanting for more due to the early finish.
Shami (3/18) and Mohammed Siraj (1/10) made life tough for the batters with their high-quality seam bowling reducing New Zealand to a dismal 15 for five after Rohit opted to bowl. The odd ball stopping made the New Zealand batters’ job tougher though the Indian openers made batting look easy in the evening.
The third and final ODI will be played in Indore on Tuesday.
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