Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, renowned for his explosive batting prowess and famously dubbed the ‘Hitman,’ delivered a heart-stopping moment during the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final against Australia at the Dubai International Stadium. A booming straight drive nearly struck umpire Chris Gaffaney, who narrowly escaped potential injury with quick reflexes.
Chasing a challenging target of 265, Rohit took an aggressive approach from the outset, smashing three sixes and a boundary to capitalize on the powerplay restrictions. However, one of his most memorable hits came off Nathan Ellis in the sixth over. Reading the length early, Rohit advanced down the pitch and launched a thunderous shot that flew directly towards the umpire. Gaffaney managed to evade the bullet-like ball at the last moment, which raced to the boundary.
Displaying both relief and humor, Gaffaney signaled the boundary and shared a light-hearted exchange with Rohit and Virat Kohli, who were celebrating the shot at the crease. In an apologetic gesture, Rohit playfully stuck his tongue out, acknowledging the near-miss.
Rohit’s blistering innings, however, was cut short in the eighth over when he misjudged a slog sweep off Cooper Connolly. Trapped leg-before-wicket, he departed after scoring a quickfire 28 off 29 balls. India’s chase also suffered an early setback with Shubman Gill’s departure for just 8 runs, bowled by Ben Dwarshuis.
Earlier in the match, Australia posted an imposing total of 265, courtesy of a gritty 73 by skipper Steve Smith and a well-paced 61 by Alex Carey. Mohammed Shami shone with the ball for India, claiming 3-48, while spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja shared four wickets between them.
As India progressed through a tense chase in pursuit of a spot in the Champions Trophy final, Rohit Sharma’s flair and the umpire’s narrow escape added a dramatic chapter to an already thrilling contest.
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