India’s star opening batsman Rohit Sharma on Saturday became the first batsman in the world to score five hundreds in a single World Cup after hitting a magnificent 103 against Sri Lanka in Leeds.
With this, he went past former Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara's earlier record for most centuries in a single edition -- Sangakkara had scored four hundreds in the 2015 edition.
Rohit hit a 94-ball 103 for his fifth century of this World Cup from nine matches.
"He (Rohit) has done something for others to follow. He is still hungry for runs," Sangakkara said while commentating for the match.
Image: Rohit Sharma raises his bat after scoring his fifth century in this World Cup on Saturday. Photograph: Nathan Stirk/Getty ImagesThe stylish Indian opener also equalled Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar in the total number of World Cup hundreds. Both the Indians have six hundreds to their names.
Rohit's other hundred (137) was against Bangladesh in the 2015 World Cup at the MCG while Tendulkar had amassed six hundreds in four World Cups (1996, 1999, 2003 and 2011).
Tendulkar's six hundreds have come from 44 innings (total 2278 runs) while Rohit took just 16 innings (total 977 runs) for his six centuries, spanning two World Cups.
The 32-year-old Rohit is likely to go past Tendulkar in the highest number of runs in a single World as he has already scored 647 runs from nine matches, just 26 short of the record 673 in the name of Sachin Tendulkar during the 2003 World Cup.
India have already qualified for the semi-finals.
