CRICKET | An all-round batting effort sees Mumbai edge Andhra by four wickets

Mumbai opener Ajinkya Rahane who scored a brilliant 95 against Andhra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T-20 cricket championship Group E match at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday, December 5, 2024.
| Photo Credit: V.V. SUBRAHMANYAM

K. Srikar Bharat for Andhra and Ajinkya Rahane for Mumbai scored brilliant 90s for their teams but what separated the winner was a stunning cameo by Suryansh Shedge (30, 8b, 2×4, 3×6) as the latter recorded a remarkable, four-wicket win to top Group E in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T-20 cricket championship under lights at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Thursday.

Chasing 230 to win, Mumbai was off to a rousing start with Prithvi Shaw (34, 15b, 4×4, 2×6) and Rahane putting on 51 runs in just four overs. Then skipper Shreyas Iyer (25, 11b, 3×6) joined the latter to put up another 75 off 35 balls for the second wicket in a hurry to keep Andhra’s bowlers at bay.

Clearly, Andhra’s ploy to opt for left-arm spinner Vinay backfired as he went wicketless, conceding 38 runs in four overs.

There was a handy contribution from Shivam Dube (34, 18b, 3×4, 2×6) but, it was Rahane’s show all the way. The India star showcased his skills as an all-format player with a wide range of strokes but missed out on a thoroughly deserving century (95, 54b, 9×4, 4×6) when he had to go for the slog off left-arm pacer C. Stephen, who also got rid of Suryakumar Yadav earlier.

Mumbai’s Suryansh Shedge who played a match-winning cameo against Andhra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T-20 cricket championship at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday, December 5, 2024.
| Photo Credit:
V.V. SUBRAHMANYAM

With 30 needed off the last two overs, Suryansh spoiled Andhra’s party with three sixes off pacer Sasikanth in the 19th over which saw Mumbai score 24 runs, and expectedly wrapped up the match.

Earlier, Andhra openers Bharat (93, 53b, 8×4, 4×6) and Ashwin Hebbar (52, 29b, 7×4, 2×6) put on 105 in just 9.2 overs treating the Mumbai attack of Shardul Thakur, Mohit Avasthi, and Shivam Dube with utter contempt.

Captain Ricky Bhui chipped in with a superb 68 (31b, 7×4, 4×6) to help Andhra post what looked a challenging score of 229 for four at the break.

The scores: Andhra 229/4 in 20 overs (K.S. Bharat 93, Ashwin Hebbar 52, Ricky Bhui 68) lost to Mumbai 233/6 in 19.3 overs (Prithvi Shaw 34, Ajinkya Rahane 95, Shivam Dube 34, Suryansh Shedge 30 n.o., C. Stephen 4/45).