World Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma breaks AB de Villiers’ record during India-Netherlands match

India skipper Rohit Sharma got his team off to a flying start in their final league match of the ICC World Cup against the Netherlands on Sunday.

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Rohit struck eight fours and two sixes during his 54-ball 61 and stitched a 100-run opening partnership with Shubman Gill in 71 deliveries after electing to bat during the toss at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Along the way, he added another feather to his cap.

The first of Rohit’s two sixes of the day was struck in the seventh of the innings when Rohit got down on one knee and slog-swept a tossed up delivery from Colin Ackermann ball down the ground for a 92-metre hit. In the process, he became the batter with the most sixes in a calendar year.

That six off Ackermann was Rohit’s 59th in 2023, going past AB de Villiers’ 58 sixes in 2015. West Indian batting legend Chris Gayle is third on the list with 56 maximums in 2019.

That wasn’t all though; Rohit also went past Eoin Morgan’s record of 22 sixes in 2019 to become the captain with most sixes collected in a single edition of the World Cup.

LIVE: India vs Netherlands, ICC World Cup 2023 match in Bengaluru

Rohit, meanwhile, continued his successful opening partnership with Gill in one-dayers, with the pair bringing up their fifth century stand this year — the most by any pair in ODIs in 2023.

The India skipper would bring up his half-century with a four off seamer Paul van Meekeren shortly after Gill’s dismissal and would help himself to a second six, once again getting down on one knee and going for a slog-sweep, this time clearing the square leg fence.

Rohit was eventually dismissed on 61 by Bas de Leede, getting caught at deep midwicket while attempting to pull a slower delivery.

There was an even bigger milestone that fans were eagerly waiting for during the India-Netherlands match.

Virat Kohli had equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries with his unbeaten 101 against South Africa in Kolkata last Sunday. The batting superstar would then raise hopes of becoming the first batter to 50 ODI tons when he brought up his 71st ODI half-century in 53 deliveries, much to the delight of the crowd at adopted home ground.

Van der Merwe, however, would silence the Chinnaswamy crowd the very next over with Kohli getting cleaned up while attempting a cut, with the ball sneaking under his bat and crashing onto the stumps.