Rohit Sharma tops as India’s best T20I captain, surpassing Dhoni
Rohit Sharma clinches top spot as India's best T20I skipper during their T20 World Cup 2024 opener, securing an 8-wicket victory against Ireland.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma has achieved a significant feat, surpassing the legendary MS Dhoni to become the Indian captain with the most victories in T20 Internationals (T20Is). This milestone was reached during India’s first match of the T20 World Cup 2024, where they triumphed over Ireland by 8 wickets.
The Game: India vs. Ireland
In the opening clash of the T20 World Cup 2024, held at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, India won the toss and chose to field first. The decision paid off as the Indian bowlers, spearheaded by Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, displayed their dominance. Ireland was limited to a mere 96 runs in 16 overs.
Rohit Sharma had an amazing start to the T20 World Cup! Despite the shoulder injury that led him to retire hurt, he shone brightly against Ireland at the Nassau Cricket Stadium in New York on Wednesday. Rohit’s smart decision-making and a sparkling half-century guided India to a victorious start in the T20 World Cup.
Rohit’s 52 off 37 balls, with three sixes, set the stage for India’s comfortable eight-wicket win. Not only that, but Rohit also achieved some remarkable milestones both as a batsman and captain.
He made history by becoming the first player to reach 600 sixes in international cricket, with a total of 600 sixes in just 427 matches. This feat places him ahead of Chris Gayle (553 sixes in 483 matches) and Shahid Afridi (476 sixes in 524 matches). Additionally, by crossing the 4000-run mark in T20Is, Rohit further solidified his status as a top performer in the format.
India cruised to the target of 97 runs in just 12.2 overs, kicking off their World Cup journey with a resounding victory. Rohit Sharma now holds the record for the most T20I wins as an Indian captain, with 42 victories in 55 matches, surpassing MS Dhoni’s 41 wins in 72 matches. Rohit’s win percentage as captain stands at an impressive 77.29%, significantly higher than Dhoni’s 59.28%. Virat Kohli, another notable Indian captain, has 30 wins in 50 T20Is.
On the global stage, Rohit is now fourth in the list of T20I captains with the most wins, behind Pakistan’s Babar Azam (46 wins), Uganda’s Brian Masaba (44 wins), and England’s Eoin Morgan (44 wins).
Rohit Sharma became the first cricketer to hit 600 sixes in international cricket, surpassing Chris Gayle and Shahid Afridi. He crossed the 4000-run mark in T20Is, becoming the second player after Virat Kohli to score over 4000 runs in all three formats. Rohit also achieved 1000 runs in T20 World Cups, joining Virat Kohli in this elite club.
Following their dominant win against Ireland, India is getting ready to take on Pakistan on June 9, in what is expected to be an exciting match. Rohit Sharma stressed the importance of maintaining momentum and getting ready for similar conditions.
“Early wickets set the tone for us,” said Sharma. “It was good to spend time on this wicket, although it didn’t change too much in the second innings. We will prepare for the Pakistan game as if the conditions will be similar.”
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