IND vs SL: An Intriguing Clash: The cricketing world is abuzz with excitement as India locks horns with Sri Lanka in the World Cup 2023 today, on November 2nd. One of the most anticipated duels of this game is the contest between Rohit Sharma and Angelo Mathews.
Rohit’s Prowess Underpins India’s Campaign:
The foundation of Team India’s unblemished track record in the ongoing World Cup is primarily credited to its skipper, Rohit Sharma. The swashbuckling opener has been in formidable touch, consistently setting the tone at the top, thereby paving the way for India’s dominant performances. As the Indian team gears up for its face-off against Sri Lanka, all eyes are inevitably on Sharma. But there’s a Lankan hurdle he has to conquer.
Mathews – Rohit’s Nemesis:
IND vs SL: An interesting pattern emerges when we dig deep into the records of Rohit Sharma and Angelo Mathews. It appears that the otherwise aggressive Sharma often finds himself at sea against the Sri Lankan all-rounder. To put things in perspective, Mathews has been Rohit’s nemesis in ODIs, dismissing him on seven occasions. This includes four clean-bowled dismissals, two leg-before-wicket verdicts, and once catching him behind the stumps.
Numbers Don’t Lie:
Their paths have crossed in 31 ODI encounters. During these matches, Sharma has managed a paltry average of just 14.71 against the deliveries bowled by Mathews. To add salt to the wound, Mathews has twice sent him back to the hut without allowing him to open his account. What’s even more surprising is Rohit’s subdued strike rate of 58.85 when facing Mathews, which means the explosive opener has refrained from hitting those towering sixes off Mathews’ bowling.
IND vs SL: Mathews’ Late Surge: Initially not part of the Sri Lankan World Cup squad, Mathews found his way in due to an unfortunate spate of injuries to some key players. However, the veteran seized this unexpected opportunity with both hands. Having played just two games in the World Cup 2023, he has already made a mark, scalping 2 wickets and conceding a mere 32 runs in 8 overs. Given this backdrop and his historic domination over Sharma, Mathews might well be the dark horse who could potentially stymie Rohit’s run-flow in the upcoming clash.
Image Credit – espncricinfo