Published 18:03 IST, November 13th 2019
Dropped on 4, went on to make 264: Mumbai Indians pay tribute to 'Hitman' Rohit Sharma
Dropped on 4, Rohit Sharma went on to score a world-record 264 against Sri Lanka on this day in 2014. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians have also paid tribute to Rohit.
Rohit Sharma is arguably India's finest cricketer in the white-ball format and has been so from the past so many years. Rohit holds two unique world records to his name which no other cricketer has. First, he is the only batsman to have scored three double centuries in ODIs and second, his highest score of 264 continues to be the highest score in the 50-overs format to date i.e. exactly five years to be precise. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians have come up with a special tribute to their captain on the occasion of his outstanding knock's fifth anniversary.
Mumbai Indians celebrate Rohit's world-record knock
As Rohit Sharma's world record score of 264 completed its fifth anniversary, his IPL team Mumbai Indians came forward with a special tribute to the 'Hitman'. MI took to their official Twitter handle and mentioned about two of Rohit's double tons that had come in the month of November- 209 against Australia in Bengaluru in 2013 and 264 against Sri Lanka in Kolkata the following year. The Mumbai franchise had also come up with an innovative caption L̶i̶g̶h̶t̶n̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶n̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶s̶t̶r̶i̶k̶e̶s̶ ̶t̶w̶i̶c̶e̶. It did!''.
Dropped on 4, went on to make 264
Rohit Sharma had smashed the Sri Lankan bowlers to all corners of the ground during that match which was played at the iconic Eden Gardens. However, before the 'Hitman'could register what is now a world record score in ODI cricket, he was given a lifeline early on. That's right. The stylish opening batsman was dropped when he was batting on 4 Thisara Perera who was stationed at third man off Shaminda Eranga. Unfortunately, for the Lankans, they had no clue back then about how costly it was going to prove for them. The Mumbai batsman obliged by dealing in boundaries as the Sri Lankan bowlers failed to rediscover their rhythm. Sharma went on to score a 173-ball 264 at a strike rate of 152.60 including 33 boundaries and nine maximums. He was dismissed on the final ball of the innings. Nonetheless, it was too late by then as India had posted a mammoth score of 404/5 on the board. It proved to be more than enough as the visitors were bundled out for 251 in the 44th over as the Men In Blue registered a comprehensive 153-run win.
Updated 19:01 IST, November 13th 2019