Let's make it clear; the 'Hitman' exists mainly in T20Is. Rohit Sharma's T20 heroics have mostly been restricted to the national team and less of it has manifested itself at Mumbai, his team in the Indian T20 League.
Yet, over the years, the Mumbai skipper has had some outrageous knocks in the competition too, and we look back on three of them.
109* (60) vs Kolkata (2012)
In 2012, Rohit Sharma came in at no. 3, below Herschelle Gibbs and Sachin Tendulkar, and blasted a 60-ball 109 against Kolkata at the Eden Gardens. Sharma and Gibbs, who racked up a half-century, forged an unbeaten 167-run stand for the second wicket after Tendulkar departed.
Rohit was the aggressor as he slammed five sixes and 12 fours in an innings that came at a strike rate of 181.66.
Read | Three unforgettable Indian T20 knocks by Rishabh Pant
32* (13) vs Kolkata (2009)
In a run-chase of 161 against Kolkata, then Deccan batsman Rohit Sharma played a sensational cameo in the final over. They were in a major spot of bother with 21 runs needed off the last over to pull off a win, assuring Kolkata of having the game in the bag.
That’s when early traces of Rohit's outrageous T20 promise erupted. He blasted two sixes and two fours in the over bowled by Bangladesh seamer Mashrafe Mortaza and helped the Deccan team to a last-gasp win by six wickets.
With one run needed off the last ball, Rohit teed off with a six to end the game and win the Player of the Match award for his final-over heroics. Deccan went on to win the 2009 Indian T20 League season.
Read | Three memorable Kohli-de Villiers stands in Indian T20 League
50 (26) vs Chennai (2015 final)
When Mumbai beat Chennai in the finals of the 2013 edition, skipper Rohit Sharma contributed just two runs. However, when these champion teams met again in the 2015 final, Rohit played a terrific knock from no. 3.
After Parthiv Patel was dismissed early, the skipper walked in to bat in the first over and waltzed his way to a 50 off just 26 balls. The knock, that came at a strike rate of 192.3, was studded with six fours and two sixes and played a major role in the final total of 202.
Chennai managed just 161 in reply and Rohit Sharma won the Player of the Match award for his half-century under pressure.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Dibyangshu Sarkar
