Fri Dec 13 20:57:14 UTC 2024: ## Rahane’s Blazing Bat Fuels Mumbai’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Final Berth
**Mumbai, India** – Ajinkya Rahane, recently dropped from the Indian national cricket team, is electrifying the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with a stunning run of form. His explosive batting has propelled Mumbai to the final of the tournament.
In the first semi-final against Baroda, Rahane narrowly missed his third consecutive century, falling just short with a whirlwind 98 runs off 56 balls. Despite the near miss, his innings was instrumental in Mumbai’s victory, chasing down the target with 16 balls to spare. His partner, Shreyas Iyer, also contributed significantly with a 46-run knock.
Rahane’s incredible form has been consistent throughout the tournament. He previously scored 84 runs against Vidarbha in the quarter-final and 95 against Andhra Pradesh in an earlier match, both times narrowly missing a century. In total, across seven innings and eight matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024, Rahane has amassed 432 runs at a strike rate of 169.41.
The explosive batsman’s performance has fueled speculation about his future. While Shreyas Iyer, his Mumbai teammate, was recently acquired by Punjab Kings for a whopping ₹26.75 crore in the IPL 2025 auction, Rahane was picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at his base price of ₹1.5 crore. Given his current form, there is growing belief that KKR might appoint him as their next captain.
First Piper 