3 cricketers who played against Rohit Sharma in 2006 U-19 WC and might play in 2023 ODI World Cup
Rohit Sharma will lead India in the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2023. It will be the first time Rohit will captain the Men in Blue in the mega event of the 50-over format. He participated in the ODI World Cup as a player in 2015 and as a vice-captain in 2019.
Sharma also participated in the ICC U-19 World Cup played in the 50-over format in 2006. The likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ishant Sharma, Piyush Chawla, Ravindra Jadeja, Abu Nechim, and Shahbaz Nadeem were his teammates in the 2006 U-19 World Cup squad.
Jadeja and Sharma are the only two Indians from the U-19 World Cup 2006 squad who will play in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Here's a list of three overseas players who played against Rohit in the 2006 U-19 WC and will also battle him in the 2023 ODI WC.
#1 Moeen Ali played against Rohit Sharma in U-19 World Cup 2006 semifinals
Current England all-rounder Moeen Ali was the captain of the England U-19s in the ICC U-19 World Cup 2006. Ali led his team to the semifinals of the tournaments, where India U-19s crushed them by 234 runs.
A century from Cheteshwar Pujara helped India U-19s post 292/4 on the board in the match played at the R Premadasa Stadium. Rohit Sharma batted at number three and scored 59 runs off 72 deliveries before getting run out. Moeen Ali bowled 10 overs of right-arm off-spin, but he failed to take any wickets. He returned with figures of 0/51 in 10 overs.
In reply, the entire England U-19s side got all out for just 58 runs. Captain Ali scored four runs before losing his wicket to fast bowler Abu Nechim. India and England will battle in a group-stage match of the 2023 World Cup on October 29 in Lucknow. They will also meet in a warm-up match later this month in Guwahati.
#2 Angelo Mathews played against Rohit Sharma in U-19 World Cup 2006 group stage
Angelo Mathews was the captain of the home team Sri Lanka U-19s in the ICC U-19 World Cup 2006. The islanders were in Group C along with India U-19s, Namibia U-19s, and Scotland U-19s.
After defeating Namibia and Scotland, India took on Sri Lanka in their last group-stage match. Mathews scored 52 runs and bowled a spell of 0/10, but his team lost by four wickets. Rohit Sharma won the Man of the Match award for his 105-ball 78 and 1/3. His half-century helped India chase 208 runs in 47.4 overs.
Mathews was dropped from Sri Lanka's ODI side earlier this year, but the seasoned pro might return to the World Cup squad after the island nation's disastrous showing in the Asia Cup 2023 final.
#3 Dimuth Karunaratne played against Rohit Sharma in U-19 World Cup 2006
Left-handed batter Dimuth Karunaratne also played in the U-19 World Cup 2006 group stage match between India and Sri Lanka. He opened the batting and scored 41 runs off 61 balls.
Karunaratne was present in Sri Lanka's Asia Cup 2023 squad this year. However, he lost his place in the playing XI to Kusal Perera as the tournament progressed. It will be interesting to see if he makes it to Sri Lanka's World Cup squad.
Sri Lanka will battle India on November 2 in the group stage of World Cup 2023.