Rohit Sharma had become the most popular player in IPL history after leading Mumbai Indians to their record-fourth title in the Indian Premier League, all under his captaincy. The 2019 IPL title win was his fifth time as a player-one time in 2009 with Deccan Chargers. Rohit had scored his first career hat-trick against the franchise in the tournament’s second season far before he was signed in by Mumbai Indians.
It was 6 May, and Centurion hosted the match between Chargers and Mumbai. Chargers total 145 for six winning the toss, with Rohit top-scoring his 36-ball 38.
In response, Mumbai made a poor start s in the second over, and they lost both Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar. But they bounced back from South Africa’s JP Duminy in a half-century of good riding. When Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist inserted Rohit into the attack, Mumbai needed 46 more to win from 30 deliveries. It was the captain’s risky move, but he wasn’t disappointed as Rohit consistently dismissed three batters, including the well-set Duminy.
Rohit was introduced in the 16th over and awarded four runs off the first four deliveries before Nayar misplayed his stroke sweep against a full delivery angling as the ball dislodged the bails. With a massive swing of his bat, Harbhajan Singh tried to clear the mid-wicket fence in the next delivery, but the ball took the thick inside edge to rattle against the stumps. And Mumbai sunk to 103 for 6 in a matter of just six shots, with 24 balls remaining.
Rohit can’t believe that while playing for Hyderabad (Deccan Chargers), he took a hat-trick against MI. He got a finger injury and couldn’t keep the ball properly as it’s easier to stay away from bowling those days.
The current Mumbai Indians skipper felt embarrassed about the hat-trick. Rohit cleaned up Abhishek Nayar and Harbhajan Singh from back-to-back deliveries and secured his hat-trick on his next over’s first ball when he caught Duminy in-form. He thinks they’re looking down on him just wanting to come and swing the bat, clean bowled.
