On This Day: Rohit Sharma scored fighting third T20I half-century vs Australia in ICC World Twenty20 2010

Rohit Sharma scored fighting third T20I half-century: The current Indian vice-captain had played a wonderful innings amidst a batting collapse.

On this day in 2010, current India vice-captain Rohit Sharma had scored his third T20I half-century in a losing cause against Australia during the 15th match of the ICC World Twenty20 in Barbados.

Coming in to bat at No. 4 in a daunting 185-run chase, Sharma hit his first boundary off Australia spearhead Dirk Nannes in the fifth over. While the 23-year old right-hand batsman looked good from the word go, he didn’t find his team in a good shape on the back of scoring 24/4 in the powerplay.

On the last delivery of the seventh over, Sharma was quick to pounce upon a short delivery from Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson as he hit a dominating six to give the Indian fans some hope.

That being said, the then captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2) and all-rounder Yusuf Pathan (1) getting out to Steve Smith and Johnson in the next two overs respectively added to India’s woes.

With India reeling at 47/6 after 10 overs, scoring at a run rate of over 13 seemed to be an improbable task for them. With all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (4) walking back to the pavilion in the 11th over, Sharma took it upon himself to go at the opposition bowlers to improve India’s Net Run Rate if not for sealing the chase.

Rohit Sharma scored fighting third T20I half-century

Having hit a six and a four off Australia all-rounder Shane Watson in the same over, Sharma then targeted Smith by hitting two confident sixes against him in the 14th over. It was on the penultimate delivery of the same over that Sharma ran a single to complete his half-century.

Sharma, who appeared to find his attacking options against Watson and Smith, hit the former for another six in his next over. Having eventually scored 79* (46) with the help of four fours and six sixes, Sharma saw India bundling out for 135 in the 18th over.

Earlier, it was Dhoni who won the toss and invited Australia in to bat. A match-winning 104-run opening partnership between Shane Watson (54) and David Warner (72) had propelled their team to score 184/5 in 20 overs.

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