Rohit Sharma slams back-to-back fifties, follows Virat Kohli into record books

India skipper Rohit Sharma etched his name into the record books during the IPL 2025 clash between Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad by becoming only the second Indian cricketer to surpass 12,000 runs in T20 cricket. Entering the game needing just 12 runs to reach the milestone, Rohit achieved the feat with characteristic flair, solidifying his legacy as one of the modern greats in the shortest format.

This remarkable achievement came during his 466th T20 appearance. Rohit now joins an elite club, following only Virat Kohli among Indian cricketers to reach this landmark. With a T20 career boasting eight centuries and an average of 30.81, the `Hitman` continues to be a pillar of consistency and class at the top of the order.

Globally, Rohit is now the eighth player to breach the 12,000-run mark in T20s and impressively, the fifth fastest to do so in terms of innings played. The only players ahead of him in the all-time fastest list are Chris Gayle (345 innings), Kohli (360), David Warner (368), and Alex Hales (432).

After a lackluster start to IPL 2025, Rohit seems to have regained his touch, notably turning a corner against Chennai Super Kings with a blistering 76 off 45 balls. He carried that momentum into the game against SRH, where he notched up a 35-ball fifty. Interestingly, this marks the first time in nine years that Rohit has registered back-to-back fifties in an IPL season.

On the bowling front, Mumbai Indians put on a clinical display, restricting Sunrisers Hyderabad to a modest 143 for 8. Seamers Deepak Chahar (2/12) and Trent Boult (4/26) led the charge, dismantling SRH’s top order with incisive spells. The hosts were left reeling at 13 for 4 by the fifth over, with top-order batters Travis Head (0), Abhishek Sharma (8), Ishan Kishan (1), and Nitish Kumar Reddy (2) all falling cheaply.

SRH managed just 24 runs during the powerplay, struggling to cope with Mumbai’s disciplined pace attack. Despite a late fightback from Heinrich Klaasen and Abhinav Manohar, the total was far from competitive, giving MI a strong upper hand and setting the stage for Rohit Sharma’s historic innings.