Rohit Sharma is one of the only few players who featured in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup, back in 2007, and is still standing strong in international cricket. Not only that, Sharma has been elevated to India’s captain and will lead the side in the forthcoming tournament in Australia.
With 3737 runs, Sharma is currently the leading T20I run-scorer in the world. The Indian opener has slammed 4 T20I centuries – the most by any men’s batter in T20Is – along with 28 fifties – only Virat Kohli and Babar Azam have more half-centuries which are not centuries than Sharma in T20Is.
Here are 5 records which Rohit Sharma can break in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022:
Most runs in ICC T20 World Cup
Currently, former Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene leads the runs tally in T20 World Cup history with 1016 runs, followed by legendary openers Chris Gayle (965 runs) and T Dilshan (897 runs).
Rohit Sharma is fourth on the list with 847 runs, and just behind him is teammate Virat Kohli with 845 runs. Both Rohit and Kohli have a good chance of breaking Jayawardene’s record in what is likely to be their last T20 World Cup.
Highest Individual score as a captain in ICC T20 World Cup
No captain has ever recorded a century in the men’s T20 World Cup.
Former West Indies skipper Chris Gayle holds the record for the highest individual score by a men’s captain in T20 World Cup history – the lanky opener smashed 98 runs against India in a group match in the 2010 T20 World Cup. Following Gayle is Kane Williamson’s 85, which the New Zealand skipper scored in the final of the T20 World Cup 2021 against Australia.
Rohit Sharma has hit 4 T20I hundreds in his career. This year, he has adopted the aggressive approach from the outset of the innings; this means that if Rohit bats for a longer period, he is likely to reach the three-figure mark.
Most matches in ICC T20 World Cup
India will play at least 5 matches in the Super 12 round. Rohit Sharma has so far featured in 33 T20 World Cup games dating back to 2007; if he remains fit and plays at least those 5 group matches (or even if he plays 3 matches), then he will surpass the current record of 35 T20 World Cup matches set by Sri Lanka’s T Dilshan.
All the players who are between Dilshan and Rohit in terms of matches at the T20 World Cup – Dwayne Bravo (34), Shahid Afridi (34), Shoaib Malik (34), MS Dhoni (33), Chris Gayle (33), and Mushfiqur Rahim (33) – are either retired or not selected in the squad. Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan can also break Dilshan’s record as the southpaw has played in 31 matches so far at the mega-event.
Highest individual score
Former New Zealand opener Brendon McCullum holds the record of the highest individual score in men’s T20 World Cup history – the Kiwi batsman smashed 123 runs off 58 balls against Bangladesh during the 2012 T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka.
Rohit Sharma’s best score in T20 WC is 79* against Australia when he waged a lone battle in a loss in 2010. As mentioned earlier, the longer Sharma stays at the crease, the more rapidly his own score will increase because of the aggressive approach he’s adopted this year.
For the man who has hit 4 T20I centuries and 3 ODI double tons, there is no doubt over his capacity when it comes to breaking McCullum’s record of 123 runs.
Most sixes by an Indian batsman in ICC T20 World Cups
Rohit Sharma has struck 31 sixes in 30 T20 World Cup innings. Only two batsmen have hit more in T20 World Cup history – Chris Gayle (63 sixes in 31 innings) and Yuvraj Singh (33 sixes in 28 innings). Gayle’s record seems achievable – unless Sharma has an unreal tournament – but the Indian opener is likely to go past Yuvraj’s record with just three more hits over the fence (and if he can’t go past that, then he will have to have a poor tournament).
Australia’s David Warner has also whacked 31 sixes in 30 innings in the T20 World Cup. Jos Buttler, the England opener and captain, has walloped 26 sixes in 21 innings in the competition.
