Sarfaraz’s Masterclass Propels Mumbai to Continued Triumph in 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy

On a remarkable day at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya ground, Sarfaraz Khan delivered an awe-inspiring performance. Celebrating his century by sending a straight six into the stands, he removed his helmet, raised his bat, and engaged in an animated celebration. This century, his third in List A cricket, came off just 56 balls, and he went on to secure a commanding score of 157 off 75 balls, featuring nine fours and 14 sixes. His efforts were instrumental in propelling Mumbai to a massive total of 444 for eight, eventually leading to an 87-run triumph over Goa.

As the pitch conditions improved on Wednesday, Sarfaraz took full advantage, dismantling the Goa bowling attack and ensuring Mumbai’s fourth consecutive victory in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Opting to bowl first, Goa made an early breakthrough by dismissing opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi. However, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Musheer Khan steadied the innings with a 70-run partnership for the second wicket. Jaiswal, returning from a bout of acute gastroenteritis, seemed set to reach his fifty but fell short by just four runs, caught in the covers by Snehal Kauthankar off a Darshan Misal delivery.

Together, Musheer and Sarfaraz added 93 runs for the third wicket, capitalizing on Goa’s fielding mishaps. With the pitch offering little for the bowlers, Mumbai’s captain Shardul Thakur further punished Goa, collecting 26 runs in an over bowled by Shubham Tari. Sarfaraz efficiently handled left-arm spinner Misal and off-spinner Lalit Yadav, scoring 104 runs from 46 deliveries against them. Despite Sarfaraz’s dismissal post his 150-mark breach, Mumbai achieved their second-highest total in List A cricket, thanks also to Hardik Tamore’s rapid 28-ball 53 and Tanush Kotian’s unbeaten 12-ball 23.

Chasing 445 was a daunting task for Goa, especially after openers Arjun Tendulkar and Kashyap Bakle failed to build on their starts. Nevertheless, Abhinav Tejrana fought back valiantly with an assertive 100 off 70 balls, sharing a 117-run stand for the fifth wicket with Lalit Yadav before Jaiswal dismissed him. Captain Deepraj Gaonkar added a quick 70 off 28 balls to delay the inevitable, but eventually, Goa’s resistance subsided.

Scores:

• Mumbai 444/8 in 50 overs (Sarfaraz Khan 157, Musheer Khan 60, Hardik Tamore 53) defeated Goa 357/9 in 50 overs (Abhinav Tejrana 100, Deepraj Gaonkar 70, Lalit Yadav 64).

• Maharashtra 331/7 in 50 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 124, Satyajeet Bachhav 56) beat Uttarakhand 202 in 43.4 overs (Saurabh Rawat 56).

• Himachal Pradesh 221 in 47.2 overs (Pukhraj Mann 76, Mridul Surroch 58, Sukhdeep Bajwa 4/17) lost to Punjab 223/4 in 36.1 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 84, Anmolpreet Singh 72, Naman Dhir 50).

• Chhattisgarh 355/3 in 50 overs (Vikalp Tiwari 112 not out, Ayush Pandey 86, Amandeep Khare 83 not out) beat Sikkim 126 in 34 overs (Gurinder Singh 47, Palzor Tamang 43, Dev Aditya Singh 4/25, Ajay Mandal 4/40).

Published on December 31, 2025.