Rohit Sharma becomes second fastest to complete 11,000 runs in ODI cricket
Dubai, Feb 20 (PTI): India captain Rohit Sharma on Thursday became the second fastest batter after compatriot Virat Kohli to complete 11,000 runs in One-day Internationals during their Champions Trophy clash against Bangladesh here.
Rohit is only the fourth Indian and 10th batter overall to reach the mark in the 50-over format.
The skipper achieved the feat in the fourth over of India's chase of 229 in their Group A match when he hit Mustafizur Rahman over mid-on for a boundary.
The seasoned opener reached the mark in his 270th game, and is the second fastest behind Kohli to cross 11,000 runs in terms of innings.
Kohli had crossed the 11,000-run mark in 222 innings while Rohit has brought up that many runs in 261 innings. In this list, they are followed by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar (276 innings), Ricky Ponting (286) and Sourav Ganguly (288).
Rohit is now placed behind former India captain Ganguly (11,363 runs) in the list of overall highest run-scorers in ODI cricket, with Tendulkar cemented firmly at the top position with 18,246 runs in 463 matches.
Kohli, who has 13,963 runs in his 299 ODIs, entered this game only 37 short of becoming only the third player in the history to make 14,000 runs in 50-overs cricket.
In terms of most ODI runs, former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara is placed second with 14,234 runs in 404 matches.
One of the most successful batters in the format at the top of the order, Rohit is also second in the list of hitting most sixes with 338 hits over the fence behind Pakistan's Shahid Afridi (351).
Rohit averages nearly 50 in the format with 32 centuries and 52 half-centuries.
In the list of highest run-scorers, Rohit is followed by former captains Rahul Dravid (10,889 runs) and MS Dhoni (10,773), with India having as many as six batters in an overall list of 15 batters to have crossed the coveted 10,000-run mark in ODI cricket.
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Devine’s all-round brilliance trumps Nandini’s hat-trick as GG edge DC by 4 runs
Navi Mumbai (PTI): Nandini Sharma’s maiden hat-trick went in vain as Sophie Devine starred with a breathtaking 95 and a superb final over under pressure to steer Gujarat Giants to a thrilling four-run win off the last ball over Delhi Capitals in a Women’s Premier League match here on Sunday.
This was Gujarat Giants' second win on the trot, while DC slipped to their second loss.
Sent in to bat, Giants opener Devine smashed seven fours and eight sixes in her 42-ball knock, adding 94 runs for the opening wicket with Beth Mooney (19) to set the platform.
Skipper Ashleigh Gardner kept the momentum going with a brisk 49 off 26 balls, but Nandini turned the tide with remarkable figures of 5 for 33, including a hat-trick, as Gujarat were bowled out for 209.
Chasing a stiff target, opener Lizelle Lee struck a scintillating 86 off 54 balls, studded with 12 fours and three sixes. She put on 41 runs with Shafali Verma (14) before adding 90 off 55 balls with Laura Wolvaardt (77 off 38) to keep Delhi firmly in the hunt.
Once Lee was dismissed by Kashvee Gautam (1/48) in the 15th over, Rajeshwari Gayakwad removed Chinelle Henry (7) to leave Delhi at 146 for three.
Needing 64 off the last 25 balls, skipper Jemimah Rodrigues (15) joined Wolvaardt as the pair plundered 58 runs in 23 balls to bring the equation down to seven off the final five deliveries.
Devine then returned to the spotlight, dismissing both batters and conceding just two runs in the final over to seal a dramatic win.
Earlier, Devine set the tone early, striking three fours off Chinelle Henry before taking Nandini apart with two fours and a six in the fourth over. She was particularly severe on Sneh Rana, hammering two fours and four successive sixes in an over that yielded 32 runs and powered Gujarat Giants to 80 without loss in the powerplay.
The New Zealander brought up her half-century in just 25 balls before Shree Charani broke the opening stand with a sharp caught-and-bowled effort in the ninth over to remove Mooney. Devine briefly regained control, hitting Charani for three sixes, but fell in the 11th over bowled by Nandini Sharma.
Skipper Ashleigh Gardner kept Gujarat Giants on course with a brisk 49 off 26 balls, smashing four boundaries and three sixes to take the side past the 200-mark.
Jemimah Rodrigues pulled off a fine catch to dismiss Georgia Wareham (3), while Henry removed Gardner and Bharti Fulmali (3).
Nandini then capped a memorable outing by picking up four wickets in the final over, including three off the last three balls, to complete her maiden hat-trick.
