India veteran Rohit Sharma fell just short of a deserved half-century after being removed by Rashid Khan’s trademark googly in the second ODI against Afghanistan at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Wednesday, June 17. Looking in excellent touch throughout his innings, Rohit appeared set for a big score before being dismissed for 48 off 39 deliveries.
The experienced opener began positively, getting off the mark with a boundary in the second over. He soon asserted his dominance with back-to-back sixes and batted fluently during the powerplay, building a strong partnership with captain Shubman Gill.
Rohit kept the scoreboard moving with regular boundaries as India raced to 80 runs in the first 10 overs, providing a solid foundation for the innings. While Afghanistan introduced spin from both ends through Nangyal Kharoti and Rashid Khan, the right-hander mixed aggression with smart strike rotation to maintain momentum.
With a fifty within reach, Rohit’s innings came to an abrupt end on the very first ball of the 14th over. Rashid produced a superb delivery, pitching it in the ideal area and generating sharp turn. Caught on the back foot and unable to pick the variation, Rohit was beaten by the googly and saw his stumps rattled, ending a promising knock just two runs short of the milestone.
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Rohit Sharma registered his highest ODI score of 2026, bouncing back strongly after a quiet start to the year. The veteran opener endured a difficult home series against New Zealand and managed only 16 runs in the opening ODI against Afghanistan, where an unfortunate run-out cut short his innings in Dharamsala.
However, Rohit looked far more assured in the second ODI, displaying positive intent and fluent strokeplay as he laid a solid foundation at the top of the order before narrowly missing out on a half-century.
India Stay in Control Even After Rohit Falls Short of Fifty
India found themselves at 96/2 in the 14th over following Rohit Sharma’s dismissal, bringing together the somewhat unexpected middle-order combination of Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan at the crease. The left-right batting pair ensured there was no dip in momentum, stitching together a brisk 50-run stand from just 47 deliveries.
Their positive approach kept the scoreboard moving steadily and prevented Afghanistan from gaining control during the middle phase of the innings. At the time of writing, India were comfortably placed at 146/2 after 21 overs.
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