Mumbai
Mumbai Indians batter Romario Shepherd went ballistic in the 20th over of the innings against Delhi Capitals, scoring 32 runs as Anrich Nortje was taken to the cleaners.
Nortje, entrusted with closing out the innings dished some looseners and the West Indian batter took full advantage of it. Shepherd smashed two fours and four maximums to power MI to 234 for five in the stipulated 20 overs.
The South African pacer has had a horrid time in the field ever since making a comeback after injury and Sunday (Apr 7) afternoon was no different. Nortje's 2/65 was the most expensive spell of the 2024 season and the joint-most expensive spell bowled by a Dehli bowler, equalling the unfortunate record set by Umesh Yadav in 2023.
Despite getting a fiery start to the innings, courtesy of Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, MI lost their way in the middle overs as skipper Hardik Pandya played a laborious innings to kill the momentum. However, in the last 12 deliveries Shepherd and Tim David managed to score 51 runs and guided MI to an above-par total.
WATCH:
??????????? ?????? ?
On Display: The Romario Shepherd show at the Wankhede ?
Watch the match LIVE on @JioCinema and @starsportsindia ??#TATAIPL | #MIvDC pic.twitter.com/H63bfwm51J
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 7, 2024
Also read | IPL 2024, LIVE | MI vs DC: Warner departs as DC sink further
DC captain Rishabh Pant won the toss and decided to bowl first, as has been the trend on the Wankhede pitch over the years.
"We will bowl first. The wicket looks good, but you can chase any target here in Wankhede. We'll have to stick together as a team. I'm happy to be back, pleasure to be on the field in each and every game. Bowling is one department where we've been on and off, but it's hard for them in T20s," said Pant at the toss.
Most runs scored by a team in the last 5 overs
112 - RCB vs GL, Bengaluru, 2016
96 - MI vs PBKS, Wankhede, 2023
96 - MI vs DC, Wankhede, 2024*
91 - KKR vs RCB, Eden Gardens, 2019
Teams:
Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Tim David, Mohammad Nabi, Romario Shepherd, Piyush Chawla, Gerald Coetzee, Jasprit Bumrah
Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Abishek Porel, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav, Jhye Richardson, Anrich Nortje, Ishant Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed