He’s A World-Class Player: Australia Pacer Hazlewood Lauds Rohit After Conceding Defeat To India

Gros Islet [St Lucia]: Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood showered praise on the India skipper Rohit Sharma and said that the 37-year-old is a world-class player. India clinched a 24-run win over Australia in the Super Eights match of the ongoing T20 World Cup at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium.

Rohit scored 92 runs from 41 balls at a strike rate of 224.39. He slammed 7 fours and 8 sixes during his time on the crease. The India skipper was unlucky to miss his century for just eight runs after he was dismissed by Mitchell Starc in the 12th over.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Hazlewood said that the Aussies were a bit off against India for which Rohit Sharma could play a 92-run knock in the first inning.

“I’ve seen Rohit do that a few times now. Yeah, he’s a world-class player, so if you’re a bit off your game that can happen. It just looked like he obviously targeted that short, sorry the boundary with the wind there for a while and then we probably reacted and then he hit a few the other side as well so he’s a class act and you expect him to do that a couple of times through a tournament,” Hazlewood said.

The Aussie pacer added that the pitch in St Lucia was good and was a 190-par score game. He also pointed out that Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah’s spells took the game from the Aussies in the second inning.

“I thought the wicket was – a pretty good wicket it was probably a 190-par score and yeah, they got the other side of it and we went underneath so I thought the chase was well on target for quite a lot of the time there and probably till Kuldeep and Jasprit, their eight overs, probably proved the difference again as they usually do, so but yeah obviously fell apart at the end but the chase was well on target for a long time there,” he added.

Recapping the match, Australia won the toss and decided to bowl against India.

Rohit Sharma (32 runs from 41 balls, 7 fours and 8 sixes) played a stupendous knock at a strike rate of 224.39. Rohit’s captain’s knock helped India to put 205/5 on the scoreboard in the first inning. Suryakumar Yadav (31 runs from 16 balls, 3 fours and 2 sixes) and Hardik Pandya (27* runs from 17 balls, 1 four and 2 sixes) played a supporting role and gave a solid target.

Mitchell Starc and Marcus Stoinis led the Aussie bowling attack after both of them picked up two wickets each in their respective spells.

During the run chase, Travis Head (76 runs from 43 balls, 9 fours and 4 sixes) played a dangerous knock but Jasprit Bumrah removed the Aussie opener in the 17th. Mitchell Marsh (37 runs from 28 balls, 3 fours and 2 sixes) also tried his best to chase the 206-run target but fell short in front of the Indian bowling attack.

Arshdeep Singh led the Indian bowling attack after he picked up three wickets in his four-over spell and helped India to win the match by 24 runs.

India skipper Rohit Sharma was named the Player of the Match after his stupendous knock in the first inning.