ICC CWC'19: Rohit Sharma one innings away from breaking 3 big records
Mumbai: Ahead of India’s last group stage clash against Sri Lanka, opener Rohit Sharma has been in the headlines for his tremendous batting performances at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. Sharma is currently the highest run scorer of the tournament, standing at 544 runs in seven innings.
Sharma is now one big innings away from breaking these three big world records.
1. Most centuries in a single World Cup edition
Rohit Sharma’s century against Bangladesh took his century tally to four, on equal terms with former Sri Lanka player Kumar Sangakarra, who also hit four centuries in the 2015 World Cup.
One more century in the Sri Lanka clash or India’s semi-final match would make him the only player in history to hit five centuries in a single World Cup.
2. Most runs scored in a single World Cup
Sachin Tendulkar stands at the top of this record since he scored 673 runs in the 2003 World Cup. Though Rohit Sharma is still at 544, India is yet to play a minimum of two more matches. If anyone could reach that number in two innings more, it is Indian opener Rohit Sharma.
3. Most runs in the group stages of a single World Cup
Another Sachin Tendulkar record that Rohit Sharma is more likely to break is the most runs scored in the group stages of a single World Cup. While Sachin had scored 586 runs in nine innings in 2003, Sharma is at 544, and has one innings against Sri Lanka left to score the 43 runs to beat Tendulkar’s record.
But close competitors Shakib Al Hassan, and Australian pair David Warner and Aaron Finch are close behind Rohit Sharma, at 542, 516 and 504 runs respectively.
Rohit Sharma now faces Sri Lanka on Saturday June 6. The player is the only one in history to have smashed one team (Sri Lanka) with two double centuries. He scored his highest 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014 and another 208* in 2017.
In his last 6 ODI innings against Sri Lanka, Sharma has also converted his last three half centuries to centuries. The player will certainly be looking forward to a good performance in Saturday’s clash.