‘He is saving it for the final’: Rohit Sharma on Virat Kohli’s form

Kohli took his run tally to a disappointing 75 runs in seven games with a run-a-ball knock of nine before Reece Topley cramped him for a big shot and hit the top of leg stump.

“Look, he (Virat Kohli) is a quality player, any player can go through that,” Sharma said in defense of his ace batter.

India’s captain Rohit Sharma, left, and Virat Kohli celebrate scoring runs during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Bangladesh at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda, Saturday, June 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

“Form is never a problem when you play for 15 years. I guess he is saving it for the final,” he said.

Rohit continues his purple patch

Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma continued his sublime form in the tournament on difficult pitches and countercharged on a yet another tough wicket for batters before heavy rain took the players off the field for another 73 minutes when India had reached 65-2 after eight overs.

Sharma reached his 50 after the resumption of play with a swept six over fine leg off Sam Curran, and Yadav hammered the left-arm fast bowler to point for a six before both exited in successive overs.

Sharma was undone by a googly from Adil Rashid (1-25) in his last over and was clean-bowled.

Spinners Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav then combined in for 6-42 through some sharp turners as England got bowled out for 103 in 16.3 overs on a skiddy, low pitch devoid of grass to bow out of the tournament.

India will face South Africa on Saturday at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados in a battle of the two unbeaten teams of the tournament.