Didn't understand Pakistan's ploy of bowling short to Rohit Sharma: Virender Sehwag after IND vs PAK 2023 World Cup match

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag was a bit baffled to see Pakistan pacers bowl short to star opener and opposition captain Rohit Sharma during their 2023 World Cup game in Ahmedabad on Saturday, October 14.

Rohit smashed 86 runs off just 63 balls against the arch-rivals, and some of the shots he played were just magnificent, including the short deliveries that he dispatched into the stands.

Speaking to Cricbuzz alongside former teammate Ashish Nehra after India's win over Pakistan, here's what Virender Sehwag had to say about Pakistan's bowling plans for Rohit Sharma (12:20):

"Didn't understand Pakistan's ploy of bowling short to Rohit. Yes, he has gotten out playing the pull shot on odd occasions, but it doesn't trouble him largely. He was never going to get troubled on this wicket and on this ground. When he is in such form, it's very rare that he would mistime a pull shot."

Ashish Nehra was also delighted with the way Rohit batted and added (1:42):

"When you have just 191 runs on the board, if you don't strike in the first 5-7 overs, it will always be difficult. And the way the Indian batters started in the first two overs, it just pushed them on the back foot. Rohit will be disappointed not to get to a hundred, but that's the kind of positive batting you expect from him once he is set. He didn't give them any chance to even think of having an opportunity to come back."

---

It was almost as if kids were bowling to Rohit Sharma: Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag was impressed with the way Rohit Sharma toyed with Pakistan's bowling and didn't even give them a sniff of a potential comeback in the match.

On this, he stated (1:12):

"Absolutely. Pakistan just couldn't compete. The ball did stay a bit low and slow but the Indian batters didn't let them back into the game. It looked like an ordinary bowling, was almost as if kids were bowling to Rohit Sharma. He just blew away their bowling attack."

Rohit also became just the third cricketer after Shahid Afridi and Chris Gayle to cross 300 sixes in ODI cricket.