India veteran Rohit Sharma fell just wanting a deserved half-century after being removed by Rashid Khan’s trademark googly within the second ODI against Afghanistan on the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Wednesday, June 17. Looking in excellent touch throughout his innings, Rohit appeared set for an enormous rating before being dismissed for 48 off 39 deliveries.
The experienced opener began positively, getting off the mark with a boundary within the second over. He soon asserted his dominance with back-to-back sixes and batted fluently throughout the powerplay, constructing a robust partnership with captain Shubman Gill.
Rohit kept the scoreboard moving with regular boundaries as India raced to 80 runs in the primary 10 overs, providing a solid foundation for the innings. While Afghanistan introduced spin from each ends through Nangyal Kharoti and Rashid Khan, the right-hander mixed aggression with smart strike rotation to take care of momentum.
With a fifty nearby, Rohit’s innings got here to an abrupt end on the very first ball of the 14th over. Rashid produced an excellent delivery, pitching it in the best area and generating sharp turn. Caught on the back foot and unable to choose the variation, Rohit was beaten by the googly and saw his stumps rattled, ending a promising knock just two runs wanting the milestone.
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Rohit Sharma registered his highest ODI rating of 2026, bouncing back strongly after a quiet begin to the yr. The veteran opener endured a difficult home series against Latest Zealand and managed only 16 runs within the opening ODI against Afghanistan, where an unlucky run-out cut short his innings in Dharamsala.
Nonetheless, Rohit looked much more assured within the second ODI, displaying positive intent and fluent strokeplay as he laid a solid foundation at the highest of the order before narrowly missing out on a half-century.
India Stay in Control Even After Rohit Falls Wanting Fifty
India found themselves at 96/2 within the 14th over following Rohit Sharma’s dismissal, bringing together the somewhat unexpected middle-order combination of Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan on the crease. The left-right batting pair ensured there was no dip in momentum, stitching together a brisk 50-run stand from just 47 deliveries.
Their positive approach kept the scoreboard moving steadily and prevented Afghanistan from gaining control throughout the middle phase of the innings. On the time of writing, India were comfortably placed at 146/2 after 21 overs.
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