India vs NZ: Statistical breakdown of Rohit, Rahuls record-equalling stand

KL Rahul
and Rohit Sharma’s fourth century partnership as an opening pair in T20Is helped India
ease to a seven-wicket win in the second match against New Zealand at the JSCI
Stadium in Ranchi on Friday and seal the three-match series in emphatic style.

Chasing an
under-par target of 154, Rohit and Rahul stitched an impressive 117-run partnership
to set the stage for India to wrap up the series. Rahul helped ease the
pressure off Rohit early in the innings as he took the initiative with a 26-ball
32.

Also Read | Rohit Sharma says ‘freedom’ important for young team after New Zealand win

Rohit came
into his own after the spinners put the brakes on India’s scoring, smoking
Mitchell Santner for two sixes to keep the required rate under check. After a
slow start, scoring a run-a-ball 11, Rohit scored 44 from the next 25
deliveries en route to a record-equalling 25th T20I fifty.

Skipper Tim
Southee got all three wickets, including the openers and Suryakumar Yadav, before
Rishabh Pant hit two consecutive sixes off James Neesham in the 18th
over to seal the win.

Also Read | Martin Guptill surpasses Virat Kohli, becomes highest run-scorer in T20Is

Here is a
look at the various records created by Rohit and Rahul during match:

·      The 117-run partnership was the fifth
century partnership between Rohit and Rahul in T20Is, equalling the record held
by Pakistani pair Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

·      It was also their fourth century
stand as an opening pair, equalling the record held by Babar-Rizwan and Rohit-Shikhar
Dhawan.

·      Rohit and Rahul have now scored more
than 1,000 runs as an opening pair in T20Is. They are the seventh opening pair to
amass 1,000 runs in T20Is and the second from India to achieve the feat, after
Rohit and Dhawan.

·      They also became the first Indian
pair to stitch five consecutive 50+ opening partnerships in T20Is. Their run
started in the T20 World Cup, scoring 140 against Afghanistan, 70 against
Scotland, 86 against Namibia and 50 in the first match of the series.

·      Rohit now holds the record for being
involved in most century partnerships in T20Is, surpassing Babar and New
Zealand’s Martin Guptill. Rohit has been part of 12 century stands, including five
with Rahul, four with Dhawan and three with Virat Kohli.

·      Rohit equalled Kohli’s record of most T20I fifties, getting his 25th in the format on
Friday. He also has four T20I centuries, while Kohli has none.