Sarfaraz Khan, aged 27, showcased a remarkable performance by scoring 157 runs off just 75 balls for Mumbai against Goa in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His innings, which included nine boundaries and 14 sixes, significantly impacted Goa’s bowling attack. Mumbai’s middle-order batsmen took advantage of the situation after Goa chose to field first.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Musheer Khan contributed 70 runs for the second wicket before Jaiswal was dismissed for 46. Sarfaraz and Musheer then formed a strong 93-run partnership for the third wicket before Sarfaraz accelerated his scoring. He smashed 104 runs off 46 deliveries against spinners Misal and Lalit Yadav, while captain Shardul Thakur added 26 runs in a single over from Shubham Tari.
Hardik Tamore’s quick 53 off 28 balls and Tanush Kotian’s unbeaten 23 off 12 deliveries propelled Mumbai to their second-highest List A total. Despite chasing a challenging 445, Goa struggled early in their innings after the openers failed to capitalize on their starts.
Abhinav Tejrana fought back for Goa with a century off 70 balls, forming a crucial 117-run partnership with Lalit for the fifth wicket. Captain Deepraj Gaonkar’s aggressive 70 off 28 balls delayed the inevitable, but Goa eventually succumbed, getting bowled out for 357, leading to Mumbai’s fourth consecutive win in the tournament.
In other matches, Punjab secured a convincing six-wicket win over Himachal Pradesh, with Sukhdeep Bajwa’s four-wicket haul and significant contributions from Prabhsimran Singh and Anmolpreet Singh. Maharashtra also delivered a dominant performance, defeating Uttarakhand by 129 runs, led by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad’s impressive century.
