Irani Cup 2024/25, MUM vs ROI Match Report, October 01 – 05, 2024

The day started with Mumbai on 237 for 4. Sarfaraz and Rahane saw off the first 10 overs of the day before Rahane fell three short of a hundred to a bouncer from Yash Dayal, with the new ball under two overs away from being available.

ROI took it a ball into the 81st over and were rewarded almost immediately as Mukesh Kumar castled Shams Mulani. Kotian joined Sarfaraz with Mumbai on 280 for 6 and started watchfully. Then boundaries began to trickle in as the duo put away loose balls.

Prasidh Krishna, running in from mid-on, dropped a tough chance handed by Sarfaraz on 97*, off Manav Suthar’s bowling. Sarfaraz brought up his 15th first-class century and the fifty partnership in the following (92nd) over.

Mumbai’s domination was cemented in the afternoon session where they scored 111 runs off 26 wicketless overs at a run rate of 4.27. Sarfaraz set the tone with a boundary each off Suthar and Prasidh in the first two overs of the session.

Then, with the ball just under 25 overs old, Sarfaraz smashed Suthar for a six and a four in the 105th over before Kotian flicked Saransh Jain for another six two balls later. Sarfaraz brought up his 150 and Mumbai their 400 with relative ease. Kotian had four boundaries when he reached his fifty before Mumbai finished the session on 449 for 6.

Prasidh struck twice in two balls in the third over after tea, knocking over Kotian with a slower ball and trapping Mohit Avasthi lbw with an inswinger next ball. But Shardul Thakur’s entry at No. 10 showed Mumbai’s batting depth and allowed Sarfaraz, on 186*, to bat without having to worry about farming the strike.

Sarfaraz took down Suthar for a six and a four in successive overs before bringing up his double-ton off his 253rd ball in the 127th over. Wasim Jaffer, Ravi Shastri and Yashasvi Jaiswal – all from Mumbai – have previously made double-centuries in the Irani Cup, but while representing ROI.

The physio was often out on the field in the evening, allowing only 18 overs of play in the final session while Mumbai cruised past 500. Sarfaraz overturned a caught-behind call off Mukesh on 211, denying him a five-for. Thakur fell against the run of play in what turned out to be the last over of the day, playing on off Saransh for 36.

A first-innings lead will be enough for Mumbai to clinch the trophy if the match ends in a draw.