Mumbai batter Musheer Khan, who recently was a part of the ICC U19 World Cup Indian team which finished runners-up to Australia this year, has been setting the business end of the ongoing Ranji Trophy on fire with his performances. In the ongoing final against Vidarbha, Musheer has given signs that he could be the star for the future. He scored a knock of 136 in 326 deliveries, consisting of 10 boundaries, helping Mumbai get a massive 500-plus run lead.
Musheer Khan thus became the youngest Mumbai batter to score a century in a Ranji Trophy final. Sachin Tendulkar, who held the previous record was present at the stands, as the 19-year-old Musheer brought up his exquisitely carved ton in 255 balls.
Musheer, brother of India batter Sarfaraz Khan, is aged 19 years and 14 days, while Tendulkar was just below 22 years of age when he scored twin hundreds in the 1994-95 season final against Punjab.
During the semifinal against Tamil Nadu, Musheer played an important hand with the bat, scoring a valuable 55 in 131 balls, with six fours, before all-rounder Shardul Thakur hit a brilliant counter-attacking century to give Mumbai a 232-run lead. Mumbai won the match by an innings and 70 runs.
During the quarterfinal against Baroda, Musheer converted his maiden first-class century into a double ton, smashing 203 in 357 balls, with 18 fours in the first innings. He scored a quickfire 33 in 25 balls, with five fours in the second innings. Mumbai won on the basis of their first-innings lead after the match ended in a draw.
In three matches so far, Musheer has scored 433 runs at an average of 108.25, with two centuries and a half-century. His best score is 203*.
In the U19 WC tournament, Musheer played seven matches, scoring 360 runs at an average of 60, with a strike rate of over 98. He scored two centuries and a fifty in the tournament, ending as the second-highest run-scorer. His best score was 131.
Also, he has played 14 Youth ODIs, scoring 554 runs at an average of 61.55, with two centuries and two fifties. With 13 wickets, Musheer is also a useful spin-bowling all-rounder.
Recently, his elder brother Sarfaraz Khan also made his much-anticipated international debut against India in the third Test against England at Rajkot. He scored twin half-centuries in his debut match. He ended the series with 200 runs in five innings at an average of 50.00, with three half-centuries.
Will Musheer and Sarfaraz be the next star sibling duo for Team India in future? Let’s wait for now.
With ANI inputs
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