Watch: Romario Shepherd smashed 32 runs off the final over of the innings, bowled by Anrich Nortje, during the MI vs DC clash at the Wankhede Stadium today (April 7).
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Mumbai Indians were put in to bat by the Delhi Capitals after losing the toss. They started brilliantly courtesy of two quickfire 40s by the openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan. However, a few quick wickets through the middle overs derailed their innings a bit.
At the 15-over mark, their score read 138-4 with Hardik Pandya and Tim David at the crease. 45 runs came off the next three overs as MI looked like they would breach 200. Pandya was dismissed and replaced by Shepherd at No.7.
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As the final over started, MI were at 202-5. Nortje, who had already conceded 25 and 20 in the previous two 20th overs that he had bowled in IPL 2024, was entrusted with the job once again.
Shepehrd tore into the South African quick. The first ball was a back of length delivery smashed past the bowler for four. The next three balls went over the ropes, one through long-on, one over square leg, and one over extra cover. The fifth ball was almost a perfect yorker which was dug out by Shepherd down the ground for another four, before he hit the fourth six of the over on the last ball to take MI’s score to a mammoth 234-5, with 32 coming off the last six balls.
Sheperd finished unbeaten on 39 off 10, the quickest 10-plus-ball innings in IPL 2024 so far. Nortje’s four overs ended up costing him 65.
