Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan once again proved why he remains one of the most dangerous bowlers in ODI cricket, delivering a crucial breakthrough by dismissing Rohit Sharma during the second ODI in Lucknow. The leg-spinner removed the India captain for 48, ending a threatening partnership and denying him a well-earned half-century at the Ekana International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, June 17.
After winning the toss, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi chose to bowl first. India made three changes to their winning XI, bringing in debutant Prince Yadav while also recalling Kuldeep Yadav and Yashasvi Jaiswal. The early overs were steady for India, but Afghanistan found the key moment they needed when Rashid struck on the first ball of the 14th over.
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Rohit, who was batting with control and intent, was undone by a beautifully disguised googly. He failed to pick the delivery and was beaten by the spin, with the ball sneaking through the gap and crashing into the middle and leg stumps. It was a significant wicket for Afghanistan, especially with India well placed at 96 for 2 and looking set for a strong total.
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The dismissal also extended Rashid’s excellent record against Rohit in ODI cricket. The India opener has now been dismissed twice by the Afghan spinner in just two ODI innings, managing only 26 runs off 23 balls against him in the format. Rohit also fell short of another personal milestone despite reaching 14,000 List A runs earlier in the innings.
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Before his dismissal, Rohit had played a fluent knock of 48 off 39 balls, striking six fours and two sixes. After Yashasvi Jaiswal’s early exit, Rohit and Shubman Gill rebuilt India’s innings with a valuable 87-run stand for the second wicket, keeping the momentum firmly with the hosts before Rashid turned the contest with one sharp delivery.
