Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton Make IPL History with Century Partnerships

Historic Partnership for Mumbai Indians

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 5: The dynamic duo of Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma has etched their names in the record books by becoming the first pair to achieve three century partnerships for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

During a thrilling match against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Rickelton and Rohit showcased their prowess as MI's opening pair. Chasing a daunting target of 229 runs, they formed a formidable 143-run partnership, with Rohit scoring 84 runs off 44 balls, including six fours and seven sixes, while Rickelton contributed 83 runs off just 32 balls, hitting six fours and eight sixes. Their efforts led MI to successfully chase down the target in just 18.4 overs.

Previously, MI had pairs with two century partnerships, including Rohit Sharma & Ishan Kishan, Parthiv Patel & Lendl Simmons, and Sachin Tendulkar & Ambati Rayadu.

Their remarkable 143-run partnership ranks as the joint-fourth highest for MI across all wickets, with the record being a 167-run stand by Rohit and Herschelle Gibbs against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2012.

In their 18 matches together, Rickelton and Rohit have amassed 825 runs at an impressive average of 48.52, featuring three century and two half-century partnerships.

*Rickelton Matches Pollard's Record

Rickelton has been in exceptional form this season, leading MI's scoring charts and ranking sixth overall with 380 runs in eight innings at an average of 54.28 and a striking rate of 190.95, which includes one century and two fifties.

This season marks the third occasion Rickelton has hit eight or more sixes in an IPL innings, tying him with franchise legend Kieron Pollard for the most such instances in MI history.

*Rohit's Return to Form

After suffering a hamstring injury that sidelined him for five matches, Rohit made a triumphant return just days after celebrating his 39th birthday. In his comeback match, he delivered a stellar performance, scoring 84 runs off 44 balls, showcasing his trademark explosive batting style.

Rohit has recorded two of his fastest IPL fifties this season, including a record 23-ball fifty against KKR in the season opener, surpassing his previous best of 25 balls against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2015 IPL final. His latest fifty came in just 27 balls, marking his fourth-fastest in IPL history.

Despite missing five matches, Rohit stands as MI's third-highest run-scorer this season with 221 runs in five innings, averaging 55.25 and maintaining a strike rate of 174.01, including two fifties. Only Naman Dhir and Rickelton have outperformed him, while other key players like Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Tilak Varma have struggled to find their rhythm.

As the final four group stage matches approach, fans are eager to see if Rohit can deliver significant performances and provide some excitement, despite MI's slim chances of making the playoffs.