Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Rahane Shines as Group A Stage Concludes with Dominant Wins
The final day of the Group A league stage of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy delivered exciting cricketing action despite several big names being unavailable. Many star players, including Suryakumar Yadav, Ayush Mhatre, and Sanju Samson, had already left to join national and other domestic squads. Yet, the absence of marquee players did not diminish the intensity on the field as Mumbai, Assam, Vidarbha, and Chhattisgarh registered strong victories on Monday.
Rahane’s unbeaten 95 guides Mumbai to a nine-wicket victory
Veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane produced a masterclass as Mumbai outplayed Odisha by nine wickets at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium. After opting to bowl first, Mumbai restricted Odisha to 167/7. Odisha’s innings never gained momentum as early wickets of Subhranshu (1) and Sandeep (19) put them under pressure. Contributions from Sambit and Ashirvad, both scoring 28, helped Odisha reach a fighting total.
Mumbai’s Suryans starred with the ball, picking up three crucial wickets.
In response, Mumbai chased down the target effortlessly. Rahane led from the front with a magnificent 95 off 56 balls, smashing nine fours and three sixes. His aggressive strokeplay and calm presence earned him the Player of the Match award as Mumbai crossed the finish line with ease, losing only one wicket.
Assam defeat Kerala by five wickets in a low-scoring encounter
Assam put up a disciplined performance to beat Kerala, who were missing their skipper Sanju Samson, by five wickets. Kerala struggled from the outset after being asked to bat first, losing four wickets for just 62 runs.
Assam’s bowling unit was exceptional, with Sadik Hussain picking up four wickets. Mukhtar Hussain, Abhinav Chaudhary, and Abdul Ajaz Qureshi claimed two wickets each.
Chasing a modest target, Assam secured victory with seven balls remaining. Pradyun Saikia’s composed 41 ensured that Assam never lost control of the run chase.
Vidarbha outclass Andhra Pradesh by 19 runs
Vidarbha continued their impressive run, beating Andhra Pradesh by 19 runs. Batting first, they posted 154/8, powered by Aman Mokhade’s 50 off 35 balls. Akshay Wadkar added a valuable 41, while Andhra’s Raju grabbed four wickets.
Andhra’s reply fell short as they ended at 135. Avinash top-scored with 44, but Yash Thakur’s four-wicket spell sealed the win for Vidarbha.
Amandeep Khare’s heroics secure Chhattisgarh’s win
In the final clash of the group stage, Chhattisgarh chased down Railways’ target of 170 with five wickets in hand. Amandeep Khare delivered the standout performance, remaining unbeaten on 78 off 47 balls, hitting 10 fours and two sixes. His explosive batting ensured Chhattisgarh sealed victory with five balls remaining.
As the Group A stage concludes, Mumbai and Andhra progress to the next round, while Vidarbha, Assam, and Chhattisgarh leave a strong mark with convincing final-day wins.
