‘Hum ko aur ek World Cup chahiye….’: MCA president urges Rohit Sharma to continue till 2027 WC

KARJAT (Maharashtra): Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) president Rohit Pawar has urged Indian skipper Rohit Sharma to continue as captain till the 2027 ODI Cricket World Cup, saying that the country wants one more World Cup title after Men in Blue’s triumph at ICC T20 WC this year in Barbados.

Pawar was speaking at the launch of a cricket academy in Karjat, Maharashtra. Pawar said to Rohit, “One request from all of India to Rohit Bhai, Hum ko aur ek world cup chahiye… and we want to see you as the captain while winning that world cup. So everyone wants you to bring another world cup for our country”.

To this, Rohit just smiled. Speaking at the event, Rohit said, “Our main aim was to win the World Cup. Once we won the World Cup, fir jaan mein jaan aayi (I got my life back once again).”

On inaugurating the academy, the ‘Hitman’ said, “I am in front of you now, opening this new academy. I can guarantee that the next Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Jasprit Bumrah will come out of here only.”

Rohit also ended the tournament with a career-best performance with the bat with 257 runs in eight games at an average of 36.71 and a strike rate of over 156. His best score was 92 and scored three half-centuries in the competition to become the second-highest run-getter.

Rohit retired as a double T20 WC champion from the shortest format of the game, winning the title back in 2007 as a young up-and-coming prodigy. In 151 T20I matches, Rohit has scored 4,231 runs at an average of 32.05 with a strike rate of over 140. He scored five centuries and 32 fifties in his career, with the best score of 121*. Rohit is also the leading run-scorer in the format.

Coming to the match, India won the toss and opted to bat first. After being reduced to 34/3, a counter-attacking partnership between Virat Kohli (76) and Axar Patel (47 in 31 balls, with one four and four sixes) of 72 runs restored India’s position in the game. A 57-run stand between Virat and Shivam Dube (27 in 16 balls, with three fours and a six) took India to 176/7 in their 20 overs.

Keshav Maharaj (2/23) and Anrich Nortje (2/26) were the top bowlers for SA. Marco Jansen and Aiden Markram took a wicket each.

In the run chase of 177 runs, Proteas was reduced to 12/2 and then a 58-run partnership between Quinton de Kock (39 in 31 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and Tristan Stubbs (31 in 21 balls, with three fours and a six) brought back SA into the game. A half-century by Heinrich Klaasen (52 in 27 balls, with two fours and five sixes) threatened to take the game away from India.

However, Arshdeep Singh (2/18), Jasprit Bumrah (2/20) and Hardik (3/20) made a fine comeback in death overs, keeping SA to 169/8 in their 20 overs. (ANI)