Axar Breaks Silence On Rohit's Blunder Denying Him Hat-Trick In CT 2025

While the Indian bowlers rocked Bangladesh batting in the team's first Champions Trophy 2025 outing, one particular incident will be talked about for a long time. That was when Rohit Sharma dropped Bangladesh's Jaker Ali off Axar Patel's bowling. While dropped catches happen in cricket, this time it was special as Rohit's dropped chance meant that Axar Patel was denied a hat-trick. The left-arm spin all-rounder was asked about the same after Bangladesh were all out for 228.

"Honestly, I started celebrating when the ball went to Rohit Sharma. But then I realised he had dropped it. What to do. Sabke saath hota hai (happens with everybody). When it happened, I did not react much as I just turned back and went away, " Axar Patel said on Star Sports

Pacer Mohammed Shami returned to an ICC tournament with a five-wicket haul as Bangladesh rode on Towhid Hridoy's maiden international century to recover from a nightmarish start and posted 228 all out against India in their opening match of Champions Trophy in Dubai on Thursday. On the day, Shami also picked up his 200th ODI wicket.

Opting to bat, Bangladesh were off to a disastrous start and slipped 35 for five with Shami and left-arm spinner Axar Patel (2/43) doing the early damage.

Axar would have had a hat-trick if India skipper Rohit Sharma had not dropped a regulation catch from the blade of Jaker Ali (68 off 114 balls) at first slip.

The technically sound Hridoy in the company of Ali steadied the Bangladesh innings with a sixth-wicket partnership of 154 runs. Hardik Pandya dropped Towhid at mid-off when the batter was on 23.

Brief scores: Bangladesh: 228 all out in 48.4 overs (Towhid Hridoy 100, Jaker Ali 68; Mohammed Shami 5/53), Harshit Rana 3/31) vs India.

With PTI inputs