Ajinkya Rahane’s explosive unbeaten knock seals easy win for Mumbai.
Odisha cricket team faced a tough defeat against heavyweights Mumbai in the Elite Group A clash of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 on Monday. Playing at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Mumbai secured a comprehensive 9-wicket victory, riding on a spectacular innings by veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane.
After winning the toss, Mumbai elected to field first, putting pressure on the Odisha batters from the very first over. Odisha's start was rocky, with opener Subhranshu Senapati falling cheaply for just 1 run off the bowling of Shardul Thakur. However, Sandeep Pattnaik tried to stabilize the innings with a steady 31 off 26 balls. Contributions from Sambit S Baral and wicketkeeper Aasirwad Swain, who both scored 28 runs, helped keep the scoreboard ticking.
The highlight of the Odisha vs Mumbai Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy innings came right at the end. Sarbeswar Mohanty played a stunning cameo, smashing 21 runs off just 5 balls, including two massive sixes. This late flourish helped Odisha post a competitive total of 167/7 in their allotted 20 overs. For Mumbai, Suryansh Shedge was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3 wickets, while Shardul Thakur started with a maiden over.
Chasing 168 for victory, Mumbai looked comfortable from the start. Although Badal Biswal managed to dismiss the dangerous Sarfaraz Khan for a quickfire 28, that was the only success the Odisha bowlers could find.
The match belonged to Ajinkya Rahane, who displayed a masterclass in batting. He remained unbeaten on 95 off just 56 deliveries, hitting 9 boundaries and 3 sixes. He was well-supported by Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who scored a calm 38 not out. The duo stitched together a match-winning partnership, guiding Mumbai to 168/1 in just 16 overs, finishing the game with four overs to spare.
While the loss is a setback for Biplab Samantray's men, the fighting spirit shown by the lower order remains a positive takeaway for the Odisha side as they look ahead to their next fixture.
