Musheer Khan, one of the three Under-19 World Cup stars to have been featured in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal, shone bright as the promising batter’s unbeaten hundred bailed Mumbai out of trouble on the first day of its knockout clash against Baroda on Friday.
Riding on Musheer’s 128 (216b, 10x4) and his unbroken 106-run association with wicketkeeper Hardik Tamore (30 n.o., 163b), Mumbai finished at 248 for five after choosing to bat at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy ground.
Had it not been for Shivam Dube’s injury, Musheer would have probably had to sit out the match. But the batter made the most of his opportunity when he was asked to bat at No. 3. When he came in to bat, Prithvi Shaw had been stumped after missing an ambitious charge off Bhargav Bhatt’s left-arm spin.
The veteran spinner, introduced into the attack in the eighth over with a damp pitch offering turn and bite, then made the most of the conditions by accounting for opener Bhupen Lalwani (caught off gloves in the slip cordon) and captain Ajinkya Rahane (beaten in length to be bowled) in no time. When Shams Mulani, promoted to negate the left-arm spinners’ turn, missed an overambitious reverse sweep to be adjudged lbw, Mumbai was in trouble at 90 for four.
Musheer, who had looked in control after a scratchy start that included a thick edge for a four through vacant slip cordon off seasoned pacer Lukman Meriwala, then found an ally in Suryansh Shedge.
However, just when the partnership had crossed 50, Shedge attempted a cross-batted heave off Bhatt to be bowled. With Tamore, struggling for runs so far this season, looking shaky, Musheer then took charge.
The feature of his batting was how he did not let either of the three spinners settle into a rhythm. He unsettled the bowlers by stepping out and tapping the ball into gaps for singles.
Only after he tapped Bhatt for a single in the last session to burst into a prolonged celebration did he start opening his shoulders slightly, upping the scoring rate. Baroda handed a debut to the other two under-19 World Cuppers. While Raj Limbani couldn’t extract much off the pitch with the new ball, Priyanshu Moliya will be hoping to replicate Musheer’s feat with the willow.
The scores:
Mumbai – 1st innings: Prithvi Shaw st Patel b Bhatt 33, Bhupen Lalwani c Sharma b Bhatt 19, Musheer Khan (batting) 128, Ajinkya Rahane b Bhatt 3, Shams Mulani lbw b Rathva 6, Suryansh Shedge b Bhatt 20, Hardik Tamore (batting) 30; Extras (b-2, lb-7) 9; Total (for five wkts. in 90 overs) 248.
Fall of wickets: 1-57, 2-72, 3-86, 4-99, 5-142.
Baroda bowling: Meriwala 14-3-41-0, Limbani 10-0-28-0, Bhatt 29-4-82-4, Rathva 23-3-50-1, Pithiya 12-3-27-0, Moliya 2-0-11-0.
