'Was There a Need for a Risk Like That': India Legend Fumes as Rohit Almost Gets Virat Kohli Run-out – WATCH

Rohit Sharma scored a blistering 86 off 63 deliveries to set the tone for India’s stunning win over Pakistan on Saturday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. In fact, it was the second consecutive fifty-plus score for the Indian captain in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023. But there was a moment when he almost got his partner Virat Kohli run out.

The incident unfolded in the 9th over however when the Indian captain ran for a single after pushing a low full toss delivery from Haris Rauf towards mid-on. Virat, stationed at the non-strikers’s end, had his eye on the ball and asked the skipper to stop. But it was too late for Rohit who was halfway through and thus, Kohli had to rush to the other end.

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Meanwhile, Shaheen Shah Afridi collected the ball and threw it down towards the wicketkeeper but missed the stumps Had the Pakistan pacer hit the bull’s eye, Kohli would have been dismissed despite all his efforts with the speed and the dive.

The incident seemed to have left batting legend Sunil Gavaskar fuming as he questioned the risk taken by the Indian captain.

“There was no run…no run. The question is, was there a need for a risk like that,” Gavaskar said on air.

Rohit and Kohli share a history of getting run out abruptly involving each other. The last one on the list occurred back in 2018 against South Africa in Port Elizabeth.

India fired on all cylinders in what was supposed to be war minus the shooting, blowing away arch-rivals Pakistan by seven wickets. Jasprit Bumrah was a tiger on the prowl and Mohammed Siraj displayed wolf-like aggression before skipper Rohit completed the annihilation as India produced a near-perfect performance in one of the most lopsided World Cup games between the arch-rivals.

Rohit just casually flaunted his repertoire of strokes, which included a pull shot behind square off Shaheen Shah Afridi and a square driven six off Haris Rauf, as India were home with 123 balls to spare.

The win was India’s eighth over their neighbours in the 50-over global event, where Pakistan had never been able to match their neighbours in terms of skill, strategy or execution since 1992.

(With PTI Inputs)