“Only person at the moment who deserves to win this World Cup for India” – Mohammad Hafeez lauds Rohit Sharma’s heroics against Australia

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has lauded India skipper Rohit Sharma for his match-winning performance against Australia in the 2024 T20 World Cup Super-Eight clash. Hafeez pointed out how Rohit’s selfless approach made him a champion player, adding that he deserved to win the ICC trophy for the Men in Blue.

The reaction came after Rohit smashed 92 runs off 41 balls at a strike rate of 224.39, including eight sixes and seven boundaries against Australia. The right-hander began the carnage after his opening partner Virat Kohli departed for a duck. The senior player continued playing aggressive cricket before perishing in the 90s. His knock helped India beat Australia by 24 runs.

In a video shared by Hafeez via his official X account, he said:

“When you set big goals then your pedigree increases. If I talk about Rohit, India’s leadership deserves to win the World Cup. The way he played unconditional cricket like a champion player. He didn’t care if there was any seam or swing.

“Special effort and you can’t praise anyone enough when you weigh their performances with Rohit, others efforts would only look smaller. Rohit is the only person at the moment who deserves to win this World Cup for India.”

Hafeez added:

“It was a Rohit show. We witnessed one of the best innings from a captain. If you speak about leading from the front. He changed just one thing, there was no doubt about his quality. One thing, he changed within himself was the selfless approach.

'The way he has evolved with the game, he was an exceptional player but has gone to a great zone just by changing to selfless approach.”

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“He was the standout performer for India” – Mohammad Hafeez lauds Rohit Sharma’s change in approach since 2023 ODI World Cup

Mohammad Hafeez further pointed out that Rohit played similarly during the 2023 ODI World Cup. The 43-year-old claimed that the Indian captain’s idea of playing for ICC trophies has turned him into a champion player instead of getting obsessed with individual landmarks. The cricketer-turned-commentator said via the aforementioned source:

“The way he played his innings, he planned this last year and started the execution accordingly. If you see the last 50-over World Cup, he was the standout performer for India. Regardless of the situation, he was playing selfless.

“The most impressing part of his innings was that he was not thinking about any of his milestones and was hitting the ball accordingly. And at the post-match he said, '50s and 100s doesn't matter to me now'. Because he knows what he wants to be, he doesn't want to be having a hundred centuries. He wants to be a champion player, who will always be remembered, winning ICC trophies,” Hafeez added.

Rohit had scored 597 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 125.94, including one century and three 50s, at the 2023 ODI World Cup.

India will next face off against England in a repeat of the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Thursday, June 27.