St Lucia: Rohit Sharma turned the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground into his personal fireworks display, wielding his bat like a detonator and sending deliveries soaring into the stands with astonishing regularity. His explosive 92 off just 41 balls, studded with seven fours and eight sixes, catapulted India to an imposing total of 205 for 5, leaving Australia with a herculean task to chase under the Caribbean sun.
The innings was a masterclass in controlled aggression, a thrilling exhibition that showcased Sharma's ability to decimate any bowling attack. The 100-run mark was crossed in a mere 8.4 overs, reducing the Australian bowlers to mere spectators as Sharma unleashed his fury. Marsh's decision to bowl first seemed to have backfired spectacularly as the Indian skipper set about dismantling the opposition.
Sharma's blitzkrieg against Mitchell Starc, who was pulverised for 34 runs in his opening over, set the tone for the innings. Sharma's shots came in all shapes and sizes – spanked over cover, clonked over midwicket, steered into extra cover, pulled over backward square leg, heaved through midwicket. Each delivery faced the same fate: dispatched with disdain to the boundary.
The way Sharma dominated the Australian bowlers made descriptors like "quickfire" seem understated. His explosive performance forced cricket writers to dive into their Thesauruses for synonyms of the word "blast."
Virat Kohli's duck and Rishabh Pant's cheap dismissal for 15 were quickly overshadowed by Sharma's pyrotechnics. Surya Kumar Yadav's 31 off 16 balls and Shivam Dube's 28 off 22 were mere supporting acts in Sharma's one-man show. Despite the post-Sharma slowdown, the day belonged to the Indian captain, who monopolised the action in the middle and the commentaries in the boxes, creating an unforgettable spectacle.
The over against Starc was particularly brutal, featuring four sixes, a four, and a wide – 34 runs in total. From six for 1 to 40 for 1 in a single over, Sharma's intent was clear. Pat Cummins' arrival provided no respite, as Sharma promptly dispatched him for a 90-meter six over mid-wicket. A brief five-minute shower offered Australia a momentary reprieve, but it did little to dampen Sharma's onslaught.
Resuming after the rain break, Sharma continued his assault, forming a 63-run partnership in just 31 balls with Rishabh Pant. The sixes flowed as freely as the Caribbean breeze, with Sharma's bat in full conversation with the boundary ropes. Bowlers became irrelevant – Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Starc all suffered the same fate at the hands of the Indian captain.
Sharma's unnoticed 50, composed almost entirely of boundaries, was a testament to his dominance. Forty-six of his 50 runs came in boundaries as he put Australia in a six-fix, Sharma style. Cricket was reduced to a game of six-counting – one more, then another, and yet another. Marcus Stoinis smarted, Hazlewood lost his bearings, Cummins his swagger, and Zampa his ability to turn. India's 114 for 2 came in 10 overs, turning an initial 6 for 1 into a distant memory.
This innings from Sharma was more than just a cricketing performance; it was a statement. It was a reminder of the Hitman's capabilities and a forewarning to any team that crosses paths with India in this tournament. His bat, seemingly infused with dynamite, turned the match into a showcase of relentless power hitting, leaving Australian bowlers searching for answers and Indian fans in St Lucia celebrating a cricketing carnival.
