Mumbai’s Sarfaraz Khan produced a batting masterclass on the second day of the Irani Cup, scoring an unbeaten 221 to put his team in a commanding position against Rest of India (RoI).
Khan’s marathon innings, his fourth First Class double century, was a testament to his determination and skill. Despite a hot and humid day at the Bharat Ratna Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, he remained unfazed, frustrating the RoI bowlers with his cheeky strokes and game-sense.
After Mumbai lost early wickets, Khan found support from Tanush Kotian, who contributed 64 runs. Together, they helped Mumbai recover from a shaky start. When Kotian departed, Shardul Thakur provided valuable support, scoring 36 runs.
RoI’s bowlers, including Yash Dayal, Prasidh Krishna, and Mukesh Kumar, tried various tactics to dismiss Khan, but he remained unyielding. He used his reverse-paddle shot to negate the off-spinner Saransh Jain’s plan of bowling in the stumps.
Khan’s double century is the highest individual score for Mumbai in the Irani Cup, surpassing Ramnath Parkar’s 195 in 1972. It is also the fifth highest individual score in the tournament’s history.
Mumbai ended the day on 536 for nine, with Juned Khan yet to bat. The team will hope to build on their strong position on the third day and secure a victory in the Irani Cup.
