He was added to Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2026.
Mumbai Indians (MI) all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford put on an all-round show in the latest SA20 2026 fixture between MI Cape Town and Pretoria Capitals in Cape Town. He hardly put a foot wrong in the game and ended the year on a high note.
Rutherford started with a fantastic cameo with the bat, scoring 47 runs in 15 balls, with the help of six maximums, at a strike rate of 313.33. 76.59% of his total runs came via sixes only, and he scored 21.36% of the team’s runs alone despite facing only 15 deliveries.
His partnership with Dewald Brevis helped Pretoria Capitals post a massive 220/5 in the first innings. Later, Sherfane Rutherford also bowled magnificently with the ball, ending as the best bowler in the game.
Rutherford took four wickets for 24 runs at an economy rate of 8 in three overs, dismissing big batters like Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, and Dwaine Pretorius. This was his best T20 bowling performance, and the West Indies all-rounder won the Player of the Match award for his all-round show.
Mumbai Indians traded Sherfane Rutherford from the Gujarat Titans (GT) in an all-cash deal ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. The reason to rope him in was to bolster the middle order, which was a bit vulnerable last season.
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With Hardik Pandya’s pace-hitting abilities not as good as before, MI felt the need for another pace-hitter, someone who can bat at a high strike rate. They have previously worked with Rutherford, and his recent form suggests he is a good addition to the squad ahead of the next season.
Mumbai Indians had several batters who batted out of position, including Will Jacks, who is a top-order bat. Now that they have Sherfane Rutherford, who can bat in the middle order and whack pace while also shielding Hardik Pandya.
Jacks had to bat out of his comfort zone, which clearly didn’t work last season, but Rutherford does this role for every franchise he plays for, and his recent improvements were again visible in SA20 2026 last night. Then, there’s also some bowling value in Rutherford, who, if used wisely, can give a couple of medium-pace overs on tricky decks to Mumbai Indians.
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