Mon Dec 08 18:00:00 UTC 2025: Rahane’s Blistering Knock Propels Mumbai to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Super League

Lucknow, India – Ajinkya Rahane silenced doubters and reaffirmed his value with a sensational, unbeaten 95 off 56 balls, leading Mumbai to a dominant nine-wicket victory over Odisha in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) on December 8th. The veteran batter, retained by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) despite a lackluster IPL 2025 season, has been in stellar form this domestic season, and his performance yesterday underscored his resurgence.

Chasing a target of 168, Rahane opened the innings with aggressive intent, forging a 74-run partnership with Sarfaraz Khan (28 off 15). While Khan departed in the sixth over, Rahane remained unfazed, showcasing a blend of classic strokes and calculated aggression. His innings included nine boundaries and three sixes, demonstrating his ability to accelerate the scoring rate. Young Angkrish Raghuvanshi provided crucial support with an unbeaten 38 off 26 balls, guiding Mumbai to the target in just 16 overs.

Rahane’s impressive knock brings his tournament total to 289 runs in seven games, averaging 48.16 with a striking strike-rate of 158.79.

Earlier in the day, Odisha managed 167 for seven after being put into bat. Sandeep Pattnaik (31), Sambit Baral (28), and Aashirwad Swain (28) all made starts but failed to capitalize. Late hitting from Prayash Singh (19* off 9) and Sarbeswar Mohanty (21* off 5) helped lift the total. Suryansh Shedge was the pick of the Mumbai bowlers, taking 3 wickets for 46 runs, while Sairaj Patil chipped in with two wickets.

With this victory, Mumbai finished atop the Elite Group A standings with six wins in seven matches. They now advance to the Super League stage, where they will compete in Group A alongside Hyderabad, Haryana, and Rajasthan.

Scoreboard:

  • Odisha: 167/7 in 20 overs (Sandeep Pattnaik 31, Sambit Baral 28; Suryansh Shedge 3/46, Sairaj Patil 2/42)
  • Mumbai: 168/1 in 16 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 95*, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 38*; Badal Biswal 1/31)

Result: Mumbai beat Odisha by 9 wickets (with 24 balls remaining)

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