NEW DELHI: Mumbai asserted their dominance after an impressive display in the first innings, led by Musheer Khan's remarkable unbeaten double century in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final clash against Baroda at the BKC Ground in Mumbai on Saturday.
Mumbai took control of the match, finishing day two with a commanding lead of 257 runs over Baroda. Musheer's stellar performance was the highlight of the day as he anchored Mumbai's innings with an unbeaten 203 runs, guiding them to a formidable total of 383.
Despite the challenging conditions, Musheer exhibited exceptional resilience and skill, crafting his innings meticulously and finding the boundaries when needed. His partnership with wicketkeeper-batter Hardik Tamore was particularly crucial, with the duo adding 181 runs for the eighth wicket.
Tamore played a vital supporting role, contributing a composed half-century while facing 248 balls to frustrate the Baroda bowlers. Together, they steered Mumbai from a precarious position of 142/5 to a commendable total of 323 before Tamore's dismissal.
Baroda's bowling efforts were led by Bhargav Bhatt, who claimed a remarkable seven-wicket haul, finishing with figures of 7/112. Despite Bhatt's efforts, Mumbai's lower order, bolstered by Musheer and Tamore, managed to propel the team to a substantial total.
In response, Baroda faced early setbacks in their first innings, losing key wickets including that of Priyanshu Moliya and Jyotsnil Singh. However, Shashwat Rawat and skipper Vishnu Solanki displayed resilience, guiding Baroda to 127/2 by the end of the day's play.
Rawat impressed with a composed innings of 69 runs, supported by Solanki's unbeaten 23. The duo's partnership provided stability to the Baroda innings, offering hope for a competitive response to Mumbai's imposing total.
Overall, Musheer's exceptional innings and Mumbai's strong first innings performance have set the stage for an intriguing contest as the match progresses into the third day.
Brief scores: Mumbai 383 in 140.4 overs (Prithvi Shaw 33, Musheer Khan 203*, Hardik Tamore 57; Bhargav Bhatt 7/112, Ninad Rathva 3/86) lead Baroda 127/2 in 35 overs (Jyotsnil Singh 32, Shashwat Rawat 69*; Shardul Thakur 1/25) by 257 runs.
