Romario Shepherd clobbered 32 runs off Anrich Nortje's 20th over as Mumbai Indians batting unit fired in unison to post an imposing 234 for 5 against Delhi Capitals in an IPL match on Sunday.
Shepherd tore into Nortje, hammering four sixes and two fours as his 10-ball-39 not out ensured the fourth-highest innings total in this IPL for MI. This was also their highest total at Wankhede. Nortje's final figures read a sorry 2 for 65 in 4 overs. Ishant Sharma, in all likelihood, playing his last IPL edition is looking a pale shadow of his very old self, being taken for 40 in 3 overs.
Shepherd was last to join the party but seemed to have made the most of it, after each of Rohit Sharma (49 off 27 balls), Ishan Kishan (42 off 23 balls), Hardik Pandya (39 off 30) and Tim David (45 not out off 21 balls, 2 fours, 4 sixes) also made merry in batting-friendly conditions at the Wankhede Stadium.
It was, however, a forgettable outing for Suryakumar Yadav, who perished for two-ball duck on his first game since mid-December last year.
But David's fiery knock and Shepherd's late fireworks ensured that they still had a huge total on board.
Rohit went hammer and tongs right from the beginning to set the ball rolling for the Mumbai Indians, who raced to 75 for no loss in the powerplay with Kishan also chipping in.
The second over witnessed an interesting battle between two India players as Rohit punished Ishant Sharma for being wayward at the start, but the lanky bowler soon found his rhythm to beat the bat thrice to end the initial exchange.
With Kishan also opening up from the other end, Rohit tore into Australian Jhye Richardson, picking up the length early on two consecutive deliveries to send them flying into the stands.
Delhi were forced to introduced spin but MI did not relent, with both Akshar Patel and Lalit Yadav being hit for a flurry of fours as the hosts raced ahead.
However, right after the powerplay, Delhi struck when a delivery from Patel skidded through and beat a cross-batted shot from Rohit to crash into the wickets, denying the former MI skipper his first fifty of the season.
Rohit walked back after a 27-ball 49, which featured six fours and three sixes.
Kishan continued to play attractive strokes until he hit one powerfully back to Patel, with the bowler taking a sharp catch to end the Mumbai opener's innings for 42 off 23 balls, including four fours and two sixes.
Skipper Pandya began well with a couple of powerful hits for four, but Mumbai's acceleration eventually died down even though they kept hitting those odd fours and sixes.
Mumbai's cause in general was also aided by wayward Delhi bowlers through the course of the innings, who kept feeding them balls in the zone to hit or those with enough width off which the batters could take their chances
