Joe Root called for patience to be shown with Rehan Ahmed after the 21-year-old continued his fine form in The Hundred in Trent Rockets’ three-wicket victory over Birmingham Phoenix at Trent Bridge
Leg-spinner Ahmed took an immaculate 3-15 as Phoenix were restricted to 111-9 on a slow pitch and then hit 37 from 23 balls at number three to break the back of the chase.
He hit five fours and one six – the only time a Rockets batter cleared the boundary – and put on 64 for the second wicket with Root, who made a run-a-ball 25.
Ahmed’s wickets also took him to 10 in this year’s Hundred, while he has an economy of 6.76 – the second best of any bowler to have played more than four matches behind Jofra Archer.
“To see how he has taken to this tournament, given the responsibility to bat at number three, he has thrived,” England batter Root told Sky Sports.
“He has got all the shots. He can hit everyone everywhere. He will get better at understanding when and what time to do that.
“He is so difficult to bowl at because he can score all around the wicket and he puts bowlers under pressure from ball one.”