Shreyas and Musheer Propel Mumbai into Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025/26 Quarterfinals

As Shreyas Iyer made his return to competitive cricket after an extended injury break, he capitalized on two dropped catches to score an impressive 82 off 53 balls. His performance was crucial in leading Mumbai to a nail-biting seven-run victory over Himachal Pradesh, securing a spot in the quarterfinals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

The Group C match, initially delayed by dense fog, was reduced to a 33-over-per-side contest. Mumbai, needing a win, was put in to bat and faced early setbacks with the dismissals of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan. However, Shreyas, alongside Musheer Khan, who scored 73 off 51 balls, mounted a strong recovery, guiding Mumbai to a total of 299 for 9.

Himachal Pradesh responded with commendable resistance, thanks to gritty fifties from Mayank Dagar, Ankush Bains, and Pukhraj Mann. The match remained tense until the final over, where Mumbai had to defend 12 runs. Shivam Dube, with figures of 4 for 68, held his nerve to ensure a narrow win for Mumbai. Alongside Mumbai, Punjab also advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Goa.

Shreyas’s innings became the focal point of the day, watched by national selector RP Singh at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya ground. Initially appearing shaky due to two missed chances by Innesh Mahajan in the slips, the stand-in Mumbai captain regained composure, forming a valuable 82-run third-wicket partnership with Musheer. Shreyas effectively targeted left-arm spinners, scoring 27 and 22 off Mayank Dagar and Kushal Pal, respectively, with Pal taking 3 for 52.

As the pitch conditions improved, both Shreyas and Musheer settled in until Musheer was caught by Dagar off Pal’s bowling. Shreyas then rebuilt the innings with Suryakumar Yadav, who entertained with a few boundaries before falling to Pal. Despite missing out on a century after being caught off Pal, Shreyas set the pace for Mumbai’s strong batting lineup, allowing cameos from Shivam Dube and Sairaj Patil to keep momentum.

Himachal, while chasing a tall target, lost early wickets but mounted a fightback with a 110-run stand between Dagar and Bains. Despite a spirited 21-ball-41 cameo by Amanpreet Singh, Himachal succumbed to the pressure, falling just short of the target.

Match Scores

• Mumbai: 299/9 in 33 overs (Musheer Khan 73, Shreyas Iyer 82)
  defeated
  Himachal Pradesh: 292 in 32.4 overs (Pukhraj Mann 64, Ankush Bains 53, Mayank Dagar 64, Shivam Dube 4/68).

• Sikkim: 219/8 in 33 overs (Kranthi Kumar 95)
  lost to
  Uttarakhand: 223/4 in 31.1 overs (Sanskar Rawat 112, Shashwat Dangwal 55).

• Goa: 211 in 40 overs (Suyash Prabhudessai 66, Lalit Yadav 54)
  lost to
  Punjab: 212/4 in 35 overs (Harnoor Singh 94 n.o., Naman Dhir 68).

• Chhattisgarh: 166 in 29 (31) overs (Aayush Pandey 49)
  beat
  Maharashtra: 160/8 in 31 overs (Arshin Kulkarni 67).

Published on: January 6, 2026