Ambati Rayudu, the former Team India and Mumbai Indians cricketer lauded Romario Shepherd for his outstanding performance both with the bat and the ball in the match against the Delhi Capitals (DC).
On Sunday afternoon, April 7, at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, the Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians clinched a thrilling 29-run win against the Delhi Capitals, marking their maiden victory of the IPL 2024 season. Romario Shepherd stole the spotlight, earning the well-deserved Player of the Match title for his outstanding performance.
In a spectacular final-over showdown against the Delhi Capitals, the West Indian all-rounder showcased his prowess by smashing an unbeaten 39 runs off just 10 deliveries, catapulting Mumbai Indians to a formidable total of 234 runs with the loss of five wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Shepherd’s brilliance wasn’t confined to his batting prowess alone; he also made a significant impact with the ball, dismissing David Warner in his very first over while defending the target. It was a match-winning display that brought back memories of Kieron Pollard’s legendary heroics for MI in previous seasons.
During a recent discussion on Star Sports, Ambati Rayudu showered praise on Romario Shepherd for his outstanding performance, drawing comparisons between Shepherd’s batting technique and that of the renowned Kieron Pollard. Rayudu highlighted how Shepherd’s contribution is seamlessly plugging the gap left by Pollard’s absence from the MI squad. Just like Pollard, Shepherd proved to be a game-changer for Mumbai Indians, contributing immensely to their thrilling victory against Delhi Capitals.
“Yeah, I think so. Because definitely, MI misses Pollard a lot. I think Romario Shepherd is filling in his shoes and the way he has been hitting the ball. And, you know, it reminds me of Pollard all those years back when the match is done. He used to really come out there and win the game for you. Romario is doing the same thing,” Rayudu said.
During his post-match interview, Romario Shepherd stressed the significance of maintaining a focused mindset during the crucial final overs of the game. He emphasized the need to prioritize aggressive batting rather than playing cautiously and aiming for singles or twos.
“Every batter wants to bat for a while and get a feel for the conditions before they start hitting aggressively. However, when you’re in the 17th over, you have to go up with a clear mindset and no hesitation.”– Shepherd said.
“Batting with single-minded focus can bring success. When you’re in that kind of role, you become even more dangerous, just having to hit the ball. With a “see ball, hit ball” mindset, you have a clearer focus than if you were tentative and looking for singles or doubles,” he further added.
The Mumbai Indians are getting ready to take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, April 11, in their upcoming match.
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