Dubai [UAE], February 20 (ANI): India captain Rohit Sharma etched his name in the history book by surpassing the ‘Master Blaster’ Sachin Tendulkar to become the second-fastest to 11,000 ODI runs by innings on Thursday.
During India’s Champions Trophy opening clash against Bangladesh in Dubai, Rohit achieved the feat by sending the ball towards the boundary rope for a four.
Rohit raced past the 11,000-run mark in the ODIs in 261, 15 fewer than Sachin’s 276 innings. India stalwart Virat Kohli maintains the record for the fastest 11,000 ODI runs, achieving the feat in just 222 innings.
The seasoned opener continued to ride high on his fire form against Bangladesh. It wasn’t a typical ‘Hitman’ onslaught, which usually begins just a few deliveries into his inning. He took his time, understood the nature of the surface and then opened his arms to his free will.
He sniffed blood on the first delivery of the third over after tucking the ball away to the unoccupied backward square-leg fence. Rohit arrived at the special landmark in the same over, and became the fourth Indian to achieve the feat.
Rohit toyed with crafty seamer Mustafizur Rahman and thrashed him across the ground. He dispatched the ball over cover-point to pick up the first four of the sixth over. On the following delivery, he ambled down the ground and lofted the ball over mid-off for his second four in the over. On the penultimate delivery of the over, Rohit dragged the pull and found a thick outside edge to pick his third boundary in the over.
He continued to be Mustafizur’s worst nightmare before skewing it to Rishad Hossain off Taskin Ahmed. Rohit returned to the dressing room with a quick-fire 41(36), laced with a whopping seven fours.
Overall, Rohit now boasts 11,029 runs in 269 matches (261 innings) at an average of 49.01, with 32 centuries and 57 fifties. (ANI)
