The talented Ajinkya Rahane came up with one of the innings of the season in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, hammering an unbeaten 95 to guide Mumbai to an emphatic nine-wicket win over Odisha.
By winning this blowout victory, Mumbai took hold of the top ranking in Elite Group A, securing them a place in the Super League playoffs. The power display put on by Rahane also added to the confidence of his Indian Premier League franchise, the Kolkata Knight Riders, as they prepare for their upcoming campaign.
Rahane’s Explosive Knock Shocks Odisha
Chasing 168, Ajinkya Rahane did not waste any time in setting the tone. He along with Sarfaraz Khan stitched a quick 74-run partnership for the opening wicket. Sarfaraz’s brisk 28 off 15 balls laid the platform, but Rahane took centre-stage thereafter.
A masterclass in class and aggression from Ishan Kishan, 95 not out off 56 balls with 9 fours and 3 sixes, was complemented by the excellent young cricketer of Angkrish Raghuvanshi at (38) from 26 balls, while the Mumbai Indians chased-down their target in only 16 overs and still had 4 overs left.
The domestic form of Rahane has been brilliant this season. He has scored 289 runs in seven matches, averaging 48.16 with a strike rate of 158.79, which shows that he has regained the rhythm in T20s.
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Mumbai qualify for Super League stage.
Mumbai recorded a decisive victory, moving up to first place in Elite Group A after 6 wins in their last seven matches. Mumbai’s consistency will see them through to the Super League stage where they will face this elite division of Teams from Group A- Hyderabad, Haryana and Rajasthan.
Mumbai’s outstanding form should put them in a great position to be one of the teams that could win the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The form of Ajinkya Rahane has been instrumental to Mumbai’s success this season.
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