Rohit Sharma blasted the highest individual score in the history of ODI cricket as he smashed 264 against Sri Lanka in a match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata but the Lankans paid the price for a dropped catch.
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The year 2014 will be remembered for two costly drops in the history of cricket. During the Wellington Test between New Zealand and India, Brendon McCullum was dropped on 9 by Virat Kohli. He went on to create history by becoming the first New Zealand player to score a triple century in Tests. That dropped catch also ensured New Zealand won a Test series against India after 12 years as India ended the tour without a single win.
In the same year, during an ODI between Sri Lanka and India at the Eden Gardens, there was a moment that redefined cricket history. The series, itself, was hastily arranged after West Indies pulled out midway due to pay issues. In the aftermath of that abandoned tour, Sri Lanka came to fill the void for five ODIs. India chose to bat and Rohit Sharma made a slow start along with Ajinkya Rahane. Rohit had moved to 4 and was facing Shaminda Eranga in the fifth over. On the third ball, Rohit upper-cut a short ball from Eranga to third man. Thisara Perera unfortunately spilled the chance. Not many knew it at that time, but the dropped catch would result in a record and hurt Sri Lanka in a big way.
Rohit had missed a couple of games due to injury but on his comeback, he hit fifty off 71 balls. Ajinkya Rahane had perished in the quest for quick runs but Rohit was sharing a good partnership with Virat Kohli. Rohit reached his 100 off exactly 100 balls but there was no inkling of a storm. As India approached the end overs, Rohit, who was threatening to become a severe storm proceeded to become a category five hurricane and decimate Sri Lanka.
In the 33rd over, Rohit Sharma showed his intent by smashing Seekkuge Prasanna for a six and a four. The Mumbai right-hander blasted a couple of fours off Eranga and Ajantha Mendis to move towards 150 in quick time. The batting powerplay yielded 57 runs with Rohit now in top gear. Another six and four off Prasanna saw him near 150.
Kohli went past his fifty and Rohit reached his 150 with a four off Angelo Mathews to sweeper cover. When Virat Kohli was out for 62, the stage was set for a cataclysmic assault on Sri Lanka by Rohit. At the end of the 40th over, India was 275/3 with Rohit on 154. In normal times, many would have expected India to reach a total of 350 with Rohit just reaching his double hundred.
Rohit was joined by Robin Uthappa and the stage was set for a breathtaking assault. He hit four boundaries in one over bowled by Mendis. In the 46th over, Rohit became the first individual in the history of cricket to hit two double centuries in ODIs. In 2013, he had hit a double ton against Australia in Bangalore. Now, he bought it up with a boundary off Nuwan Kulasekara.
Rohit then went past his highest ODI score by smashing two sixes off Eranga. In the interim, Sri Lanka did themselves no favors by dropping Rohit again. There was a prophetic tweet by MS Dhoni that if Rohit did not get out soon, he would cross 250. Rohit already had notched up the highest score by an Indian in ODIs, going past Virender Sehwag’s mark of 219 against West Indies in Indore in 2011.
The Mumbai batsman went crazy in the 48th over, hammering three fours and a six off Kulaseakara to near 250. Rohit then hit a six and a four off Thisara Perera to become the first individual in the history of international cricket to score 250. Rohit could have carried his bat but on the last ball, he was dismissed for 264.
In an odd twist, this was NOT the highest score in List A cricket. Alistair Brown had smashed 268 in a 2002 County match between Surrey and Glamorgan and that remains the highest score. But, Rohit rewrote the history books with his knock against Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka was never in the contest from the very beginning after India reached 404/5. In the last 10 overs, India hammered 129 runs. Sri Lanka was undone by Stuart Binny and Umesh Yadav’s swing as they were reduced to 48/4. Angelo Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne delayed the inevitable with some attractive fifties but the end came quickly.
Sri Lanka was bowled out for 251, losing by 153 runs. But, the bigger picture was that they lost to Rohit Sharma’s bat alone by 13 runs. The match was being held during the 150th year anniversary of the Eden Gardens cricket club. It was a befitting occasion that demanded something spectacular. Rohit provided that and ensured November 13, 2014 would be a memorable day in the history of Indian and world cricket.
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