Anrich Nortje’s performance in this season’s Indian Premier League 2024 took another hit as he struggled once again while bowling in the match against Mumbai Indians.
After a long break due to a back problem, the South African cricket star made his way to India. He had been out of action since September last year and only recently made his comeback last month. Playing a few matches in Cricket South Africa’s local T20 league, he then joined Delhi Capitals for the ongoing IPL 2024.
However, his performance in the tournament hasn’t lived up to expectations. Anrich Nortje, the right-arm pacer, had a tough time in his initial games. He leaked runs consistently, conceding 48, 43, and 59 runs in his first three matches against Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders, respectively.
In his latest game, though, Nortje showed promise initially. He started well, conceding only four runs in his first over and getting the crucial wicket of Suryakumar Yadav. However, his second over went for 13 runs, and things turned worse in the death overs.
Brought back by the DC captain, Rishabh Pant, for the 18th over, Nortje gave away 16 runs but managed to dismiss Mumbai Indians’ captain, Hardik Pandya. Unfortunately, the last over of the innings turned into a nightmare for him as Romario Shepherd tore him apart.
Romario Shepherd, playing his first game of the season, smashed every delivery of Nortje’s final over for a boundary, collecting 32 runs from the over alone. His aggressive batting, along with Tim David’s contribution, helped Mumbai Indians post a formidable total of 234-5 at Wankhede Stadium.
Despite a valiant effort from Tristan Stubbs, who scored an unbeaten 71 off just 25 balls, Delhi Capitals fell short, finishing at 205-8. This defeat pushed them to the bottom of the table in the 10-team tournament.
On the other hand, Mumbai Indians managed to bounce back from their initial three losses, bringing relief to their skipper, Hardik Pandya. Pandya, who faced criticism from fans after replacing Rohit Sharma as captain, found solace in this victory.
Fans took to social media to express their amazement at Shepherd’s explosive batting performance.
Here are some of the reactions:
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