India’s stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma hit his third double century in ODI cricket as he scored unbeaten 208 runs in the 2nd ODI against Sri Lanka in Mohali. He took just 153 balls to reach his double hundred and smashed 13 fours and 12 sixes in the innings.

Sharma became the only cricketer to scored three double centuries in ODIs and two of them have come against the same opponent — Sri Lanka. He had scored 264 runs against Sri Lanka in Kolkata in 2014.

The opener’s feat helped India reach 392 for 4 in 50 overs. Sharma ended his innings on an unbeaten 208, thereby becoming the first captain to score a double ton in the history of cricket. The 300-plus total on Wednesday was India’s 100th in ODIs, the first team to reach the feat.

The Mumbaikar batsman began his innings cautiously, accelerated the innings in a flamboyant fashion. He scored his 50 off 65 balls and scored his 16th ODI century off 115 balls at a strike rate of 86.96. But his second century off 36 balls at a strike-rate 277.78. In one over he hit Suranga Lakmal for four sixes and rocketed from to 116 to 140. Here is teh video of the same:

https://www.facebook.com/IndianCricketTeam/posts/1696702290351457

Rohit’s first ever double hundred came against Australia in 2013 when he scored 209 in Bangalore. A year later, he made 264 at Eden Gardens and it is still the highest individual score by a batsman in ODIs.

Apart from Rohit, Tendulkar, and Sehwag, the two other non-India batsmen to score double centuries in ODIs are Martin Guptill (New Zealand) and Chris Gayle (West Indies).

This was Rohit’s second hundred in his last three ODIs as he amassed 147 runs against New Zealand in Kanpur in October but was dismissed on duck in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Dharamsala on Sunday.