Rohit Sharma retired out off the final ball in the Super Over and then came out to bat again in the second Super Over amidst controversial circumstances to win India the game.
Rohit Sharma retired out during the first Super Over in a tied game against Afghanistan, but then in a controversial move came out to bat again in the second Super Over to win India the game.
A spectacular hundred from Rohit was overshadowed by the controversy around his third batting stint during the Bengaluru T20I. India recovered from a precarious 22/4 to post 212/4 with Rohit smashing a hundred and Rinku Singh making 69*.
The two combined in a stand of 190 for the fifth wicket as India made a huge total. It appeared like whitewash was on the cards, but Afghanistan had other dieas.
Propelled by Gulbadin naib’s unbeaten half-century, Afghanistan tied the game with 18 runs coming off the final over from Mukesh Kumar.
The game headed into the Super Over, which tuned out tobe a dramatic one.
Ball 1: Mukesh Kumar to Gulbadin, OUT. Run out!! AFG 1 for 1. Gulbadin run out (Kohli/Samson) 1(1).
Ball 2: Mukesh to Nabi, 1 run. AFG 2 for 1. Nabi sneaks a quick single with a yorker from Mukesh.
Ball 3: Mukesh to Gurbaz, FOUR. AFG 6 for 1. Gurbaz swings hard, gets a thick outside edge, and runs to third man.
Ball 4: Mukesh to Gurbaz, 1 run. AFG 7 for 1. Mukesh spills a low full toss, Gurbaz slices it to sweeper cover.
Ball 5: Mukesh to Nabi, SIX. AFG 13 for 1. Nabi smashes a low full toss over wide long-on.
Ball 6: Mukesh to Nabi, byes, 3 runs. AFG 16 for 1. Rohit is livid as the ball deflects off Nabi’s pads, but the batters add a couple of more runs.
Ball 1: Azmatullah to Rohit, 1 leg bye. Rohit swings and misses, Jaiswal runs through, but a missed runout chance.
Ball 2: Azmatullah to Jaiswal, 1 run. Jaiswal tries to play it fine but finds short fine leg.
Ball 3: Azmatullah to Rohit, SIX. Rohit smashes a high ball over deep mid-wicket.
Ball 4: Azmatullah to Rohit, SIX. Rohit clears the boundary over cover.
Ball 5: Azmatullah to Rohit, 1 run. A clever slower ball, Rohit toe-ends it to point.
Ball 6: Azmatullah to Jaiswal, 1 run. Jaiswal slogs and toe-ends it to the keeper. Rohit is replaced by Rinku in what appears to be a tactical move. Is Rohit hurt? Or has he retired out?
The question lingered as to whether Rohit Sharma had retired hurt or retired out. If he was retired out in a tactical way to bring in a faster runner fo the final ball, he wouldn’t be able to bat in a second Super Over according to MCC laws.
The law says “any batter dismissed in any previous Super Over shall be ineligible to bat in any subsequent Super Over.”
But, it appeared that Rohit had actually “retired hurt” only to come out and bat again in two minutes for the second Super Over, raising controversy.
From the ICC playing conditions. Rohit Sharma shouldn’t be batting here. pic.twitter.com/yIFCUUKSzB
— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) January 17, 2024
Rohit went on to hit a four and a six in the second SUper Over while Ravi Bishnoi took two wickets with the ball as India won the match and took the series 3-0.
