3 records that can be broken in today’s India vs Afghanistan 2023 World Cup match ft. Rohit Sharma
We are not even through the first week of the 2023 Men's World Cup but records have been flayed left, right, and center already. As recently as Thursday, Pakistan chased the highest-ever total in the history of the men's World Cups.
Today, we are going back to New Delhi for a meeting between hosts India and Afghanistan. It's the same ground where South Africa and Aiden Markram set new markers for the highest men's World Cup score and the quickest century in the tournament. A flat pitch to compliment the short boundaries is expected again.
We have three more records for you that could be broken today:
#3 Rohit Sharma is chasing Chris Gayle and Sachin Tendulkar's records
Indian captain Rohit Sharma got out for a duck against Australia in his team's tournament opener.
He still needs just three sixes to break Chris Gayle's record for most maximums in international cricket. The West Indian legend hit 553 sixes in 483 matches. Rohit is currently at 551 from 452 matches after 16 years in international cricket.
In 17 matches in ODI World Cups, Rohit has 23 sixes. Five more today will help him break Sachin Tendulkar's record of the most sixes by an Indian in the tournament. Tendulkar has 27 from 45 matches.
Rohit has played just two ODIs against Afghanistan in his career but has yet to hit a maximum against them.
#2 Ibrahim Zadran could break a big Afghan record
Young opening batter Ibrahim Zadran can become the quickest to reach 1,000 ODI runs for Afghanistan today. The 21-year-old is currently at 933 runs after just 20 innings at an average of 51.83.
Only 10 Afghan batters have gone past the 1000-run mark in the format. Among them, Rahmat Shah is the quickest after taking 26 innings. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mohammad Shahzad took 27 and 30 innings, respectively.
#1 Rohit Sharma could be the fastest Indian to 1000 World Cup runs
His duck against Australia meant that Rohit Sharma missed a golden chance to become the quickest cricketer ever to 1000 runs in men's ODI World Cups. He was at 978 runs after 17 innings. His counterpart David Warner (who was at 992 runs after 18 innings) took home the same record by scoring a 52-ball 41.
All is not lost for the Indian skipper, though. If Rohit scores 22 runs today, he'll not only become the joint-fastest to reach 1000 runs in the competition overall but also the fastest in India. These 22 runs in his 19th innings will take him past Sachin Tendulkar's record of reaching the 1000-run mark in 20 innings.