Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan has credited skipper Rohit Sharma for 'creating the energy' that led to the win against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy on Feb 23 in Dubai. Rohit could score only 20 runs before being dismissed by a searing yorker from Shaheen Shah Afridi.
"He got out, but he created that energy and others capitalised," said Dhawan on the sidelines of the match on Sunday. The former batter was at the ground as the event ambassador of the Champions Trophy.
Rohit was living on the edge as India started their chase of 242. He got a yorker first up, but was able to jam it out. In the next over, Rohit got a four off a top edge on Naseem Shah's bowling before hitting the bowler for a six on the very next ball.
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In Naseem's next over, Rohit hit another four disdainfully through the mid-wicket region. In the over he got out, Rohit had hit Afridi for an upper drive to get a four before the bowler bowled a yorker. This time, Rohit was too slow to react as the ball went through under his bat even before he could put a bat to it.
This was the third time Shaheen Afridi got Rohit out in five ODI innings. In these meetings, Rohit has managed just 60 runs off Afridi on 53 balls at an average of 17.66 and a strike rate of 88. He has also hit the left-hander for six fours and three sixes.
India, meanwhile, won the match comfortably, with Virat Kohli scoring his 51st ton. After Rohit got out, Kohli added 69 runs with Shubman Gill, who scored a handsome 46.
After the fall of Gill's wicket, Kohli and Shreyas Iyer, who scored 56, added 114 runs for the third wicket as India eventually reached the target with six wickets and 45 balls to spare.