Rohit Sharma was visibly frustrated after dropping a straightforward catch at first slip, which denied Axar Patel a hat-trick during India’s Champions Trophy 2025 opener against Bangladesh on Thursday, February 20. The moment came in the ninth over when India had Bangladesh reeling at 35/5, putting them in complete control.
However, Towhid Hridoy’s maiden ODI century (107) and Jaker Ali’s resilient 68 helped Bangladesh recover, setting a target of 229. Rohit Sharma, who is known for his safe hands in the slip cordon, admitted his disappointment after the match.
“That was an easy catch. I should have taken it. I’ve set high standards for myself in the slips, so it was frustrating. But these things happen. The bigger takeaway is how well our bowlers set up the game for us,” he said at the post-match presentation.
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Axar Patel had set the stage for a dream moment, dismissing Tanzid Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim off consecutive deliveries. With a hat-trick opportunity on the line, he bowled a beautiful delivery that found the edge of Jaker Ali’s bat.
The ball flew straight to Rohit at first slip, but he fumbled, letting the opportunity slip away. Axar, clearly disappointed, stood motionless with his hands on his head, while Rohit, frustrated, smacked the ground in disbelief.
“I was ready to celebrate, but then I turned around and saw it didn’t happen. It’s part of the game, but yeah, I was hoping for that moment,” Axar Patel shared during the innings break. Rohit later tried to lighten the mood by jokingly promising, “I’ll take Axar out for dinner on Friday night to make up for it.”
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Despite Bangladesh’s fightback, India chased down the target comfortably, thanks to Shubman Gill’s brilliant century. Rohit acknowledged the opposition’s resilience, saying, “Credit to Hridoy and Jaker for the way they batted. But with the bat, I thought we were very clinical.”
Axar finished with figures of 2 for 43 in his 10 overs, playing a key role in India’s six-wicket victory.
