The second T20I between India and Afghanistan held special significance for Indian captain Rohit Sharma. Returning to the shortest format after an absence of over 14 months, Rohit achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first player in T20I history to reach 150 matches. The seasoned Indian batter had been away from the T20I format since November 2022, when he led India in the T20 World Cup. Interestingly, Rohit’s comeback coincided with the World Cup year, adding an intriguing element to his return to the format. It’s worth noting that the USA and the West Indies will jointly host the marquee tournament in June 2024.
Heading into the second match against Afghanistan in Indore, Rohit had already held the record for the most T20I appearances. With 150 games under his belt, Rohit boasts an impressive T20I career, amassing 3853 runs, which includes an extraordinary four centuries. Rohit also joined Allan Border in a unique feat; the former Australian captain was the first to reach the 150-match mark in Tests and ODIs.
Interestingly, the second Indian on the list for the highest number of T20I appearances also made his comeback in the shortest format on Sunday: Virat Kohli (116).
Kohli missed the opening match against Afghanistan for personal reasons but returned to the playing XI on Sunday, replacing Tilak Varma. Currently the highest run-scorer in T20Is, Kohli remains the only player to surpass the 4000-run mark in the format. With a total of 4008 runs in 116 matches, his inclusion in the T20I series adds considerable firepower to the Indian lineup and the team’s preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Here’s the list of the players with the highest appearances in T20Is:
- Rohit Sharma (India) – 150
- Paul Stirling (Ireland) – 134
- George Dockrell (Ireland) – 128
- Shoaib Malik (Pakistan/ICC XI) – 124
- Martin Guptill (New Zealand) – 122
Earlier, Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to bowl in the second T20I in Indore. India, leading the three-match series 1-0 following their previous win in Mohali, aim to maintain their winning streak and seal another T20I series; following the ODI World Cup in November, India had beaten Australia (home) and South Africa (away) in T20I bilaterals.
