Sarfaraz Khan continued his astonishing run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, blasting 73 off just 22 balls as Mumbai chased down another 200-plus target — their second in as many games. Rajasthan’s imposing 216 was overhauled with three wickets in hand and 11 balls to spare, thanks largely to Sarfaraz’s brutal assault and a composed unbeaten 72 from Ajinkya Rahane.
Fresh off his 64 off 25 balls in a successful chase of 235 against Hyderabad, Sarfaraz once again set the tone with a boundary-strewn innings, hammering six fours and seven sixes. His 111-run stand for the second wicket with Rahane came off just 38 balls and blew the chase wide open. Atharva Ankolekar provided the finishing touch from No. 8, smashing 26 off nine balls, even as Manav Suthar returned figures of 3 for 23 for Rajasthan.
Rajasthan’s towering total had been built on half-centuries from Deepak Hooda (51) and Mukul Choudhary (54*). Hooda shared a 103-run partnership with Ramnivas Golada, who struck 48 off 29 balls, before both fell in quick succession. Choudhary then combined with Mahipal Lomror for a rapid 89-run stand for the fourth wicket, Lomror contributing 39 with four sixes. Despite Tushar Deshpande conceding 54 in his four overs, Rajasthan’s 216 ultimately proved inadequate.
Harnoor, Arora and Ramandeep Lift Punjab Past MP
Punjab snapped a two-match losing streak with a dramatic two-wicket victory over Madhya Pradesh in the Super League at the DY Patil Academy Ground in Pune, successfully chasing 226 with five balls remaining.
Early damage came with the loss of captain Prabhsimran Singh in the second over, but Harnoor Singh and Anmolpreet Singh counter-punched superbly. The pair raced to 50 in just 18 balls before Anmolpreet departed for a 14-ball 38. Harnoor carried the momentum, smashing 64 off 36 deliveries, and added 73 for the fourth wicket with Salil Arora.
Arora’s 50 off 29 balls kept Punjab on track, but his dismissal in the 16th over — with 45 still needed from the final five — triggered a brief wobble as four wickets fell for 20 runs. Ramandeep Singh, however, held his nerve, finishing unbeaten on 35 from 21 balls to guide Punjab home.
The chase marked Punjab’s seventh 200-plus total of the tournament, the most by any side in a single season. No other team has crossed 200 more than four times in the same edition, with Jharkhand also reaching that mark in 2025–26.
Earlier, Madhya Pradesh posted 225 for 8 after Venkatesh Iyer top-scored with 70 off 43 balls. Contributions from Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Aniket Verma and Mangesh Yadav added crucial impetus, but standout spells from Gurnoor Brar (3 for 45) ensured Punjab stayed within striking distance.
