Wed Oct 02 23:57:22 UTC 2024: ## Sarfaraz Khan’s Double Century Propels Mumbai to Dominance in Irani Trophy
**Lucknow, October 3, 2024:** Mumbai batsman Sarfaraz Khan continued his stellar form, smashing his fourth First-Class double century and the first for Mumbai in the Irani Cup history, as Mumbai took control of the match against the Rest of India on Day 2.
Despite a strong bowling attack from the Rest of India, featuring Yash Dayal, Prasidh Krishna, and Mukesh Kumar, Sarfaraz remained unfazed. He finished the day on 221* (276b, 25×4, 4×6), guiding Mumbai to a commanding 536/9 at stumps.
Sarfaraz’s innings was marked by his calm and calculated approach. He displayed remarkable game sense, rotating the strike effectively and countering the Rest of India’s bowling tactics with intelligent shot selection. He even overcame cramps by employing creative shots like reverse-paddles to negate the threat of off-spinner Saransh Jain.
While Sarfaraz was the star of the show, contributions from Tanush Kotian (64 runs) and Shardul Thakur (36 runs) provided crucial support. Mumbai’s captain Ajinkya Rahane narrowly missed out on a century, falling victim to Dayal’s short-ball.
The Rest of India bowlers struggled to find a way past Sarfaraz’s resilience. While they took wickets, they failed to break his spirit or disrupt his flow.
Mumbai will be hoping Sarfaraz can continue his onslaught on Thursday morning and secure a crucial win in the Irani Trophy.
First Piper 