SMAT 2024: Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer Lead Mumbai to Final, End Baroda’s Campaign

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Read Original Content: SMAT 2024: Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer Lead Mumbai to Final, End Baroda’s Campaign

Mumbai, packed with star batters like Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, and Prithvi Shaw, has entered the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024. In the semifinal, they defeated Hardik Pandya’s Baroda team by six wickets. This is Mumbai’s second time reaching the final. The first time was in the 2022-23 season when they also won the title. Meanwhile, Baroda’s hopes of playing their sixth final were crushed with this loss.

Rahane Shines Again as Mumbai Marches to the Final

Ajinkya Rahane was the star of the match, continuing his excellent form. He scored 98 runs off 56 balls, hitting 11 boundaries and 5 sixes. Along with Shreyas Iyer, Rahane put up an 88-run partnership for the second wicket, taking Mumbai’s score to 118 runs.

Shreyas Iyer also played well, scoring 46 runs off 30 balls, with 4 fours and 3 sixes. While Suryakumar Yadav had a rare failure, managing just 1 run, Suyash Prabhudessai sealed the game with a six on his very first ball. Mumbai chased down Baroda’s target of 159 runs in just 17.2 overs, with four wickets down.

Baroda Posts 158, Pandya Brothers Struggle

Batting first, Baroda managed to score 158 runs in 20 overs, losing seven wickets. Krunal Pandya contributed 30 runs, but Hardik Pandya struggled and got out for just 5 runs. Shivalik Sharma was the top scorer for Baroda with 36 runs.

Despite setting a decent target, Baroda’s bowlers couldn’t stop Mumbai’s strong batting lineup. With this win, Mumbai has kept their dream of winning the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for the second time alive, while Baroda’s hopes were dashed once again.

Read Original Content: SMAT 2024: Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer Lead Mumbai to Final, End Baroda’s Campaign

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