[Watch] MI skipper Rohit Sharma gets smashed with cake during his 36th birthday celebration

Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma celebrated his 36th birthday after the team's incredible run chase of 213 against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the 1000th game of the IPL at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, April 30.

Despite Rohit getting dismissed for just three from five deliveries, the other batters chipped in with valuable contributions as MI beat RR by six wickets with three balls to spare. The victory kept MI in playoff contention, as they are now in seventh place in the points table with four wins and as many losses.

After the game, Rohit Sharma celebrated his 36th birthday by cutting his birthday cake before it was smashed all over his face.

Here is a video of the celebration shared by the franchise's social media handles:

Sharma has endured another difficult season with the bat, scoring only 184 runs at an average of 23 and a strike rate of 132.37. The Indian captain has not averaged above 30 in the last six seasons and has failed to reach the 400-run mark since 2019.

Despite his struggles, the elegant right-hander led MI to titles in 2019 and 2020 to go along with titles in 2013, 2015, and 2017.

"Polly for so many years won us so many championships" - MI skipper Rohit Sharma on Tim David being the next Kieron Pollard

Rohit Sharma was all smiles on his birthday after MI beat RR in a thriller.

Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma gave his opinion on Tim David being the heir apparent to former MI all-rounder Kieron Pollard after David's breathtaking 14-ball 45 helped MI chase 213 against RR.

The West Indian was an integral part of MI's title runs, scoring 3,412 runs at an average of 28.47 and a strike rate of 147.32 in his illustrious IPL career.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Rohit said of the Pollard-David comparison:

"Big shoes to fill, Polly for so many years won us so many championships. But Tim has so much ability and power. In the back end, having that power keeps the bowler thinking."

David made his IPL debut for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 2021 season but played just one game before moving to the Mumbai Indians for the 2022 season. Overall, he has averaged 34.50 at a strike rate of 189.56 in his brief IPL career.

With his impressive power hitting in the latter stages of the innings, David has been one of the most sought-after names over the last couple of years in various T20 leagues.

Mumbai Indians will have a quick turnaround as they travel to Punjab to take on the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mohali on Wednesday, May 3.