Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians may have found their most destructive opening combination since the glory days of the franchise. On a run-fest at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday, Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton scripted yet another record partnership to put Mumbai in complete control against Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2026.Chasing a daunting 229 after LSG’s batting fireworks, the MI openers responded with an even more brutal counterattack. Rickelton blasted 83 off just 32 balls, smashing six fours and eight sixes, while Rohit produced a vintage innings of 84 off 44 deliveries.Together, the pair added 143 runs in only 10.5 overs, tearing apart an LSG bowling attack that had no answers to the relentless assault.In a match that Mumbai Indians went on to win by six wickets, the stand was significant beyond just the match situation. It became the third 100-plus partnership for Rohit and Rickelton — now the most by any Mumbai Indians pair in IPL history.
Most 100+ partnerships for MI in IPL (any wicket)
- 3 — Rohit Sharma & Ryan Rickelton
- 2 — Rohit Sharma & Ishan Kishan
- 2 — Parthiv Patel & Lendl Simmons
- 2 — Ambati Rayudu & Sachin Tendulkar
The record highlights how quickly the Rohit-Rickelton partnership has evolved into one of the most dangerous combinations in the tournament. While Rohit anchored the innings with controlled aggression, Rickelton’s fearless ball-striking gave MI immediate momentum in the chase.Earlier, LSG had looked set for an even bigger total after Nicholas Pooran smashed 63 off 21 balls and shared a 94-run partnership with Mitchell Marsh. But MI clawed back in the death overs, conceding only 22 runs in the final three overs to restrict LSG to 228/5.That late recovery ultimately proved crucial as Rohit and Rickelton transformed a difficult chase into a statement performance — and, in the process, entered Mumbai Indians folklore.
