The quarterfinal matches of Ranji Trophy got underway today (February 23) with Mumbai facing Baroda in one of the matches. After opting to bat, the home team (Mumbai) was in trouble at 99/4 and this is when Musheer Khan made sure to stitch a partnership with Suryansh Hegde first and then Hardik Tamore.
Musheer came out to bat at three after Prithvi Shaw got out for a well-made 33. Bhargav Bhatt of Baroda then ran over the Mumbai line-up picking up wickets of Bhupen Lalwani and skipper Ajinkya Rahane as well. With wickets falling at the other end, Musheer made sure to play attritional cricket stitching vital partnerships. Even though Hegde got out after a 43-run stand for fifth wicket, he found an able support in Hardik Tamore as they dropped guard to keep Baroda bowlers at bay.
India's U19 World Cup hero smashed a century as well much to the delight of the fans and has so far hit eight fours in his majestic knock. It has been a proper Test innings from Musheer for Mumbai and that has helped the side recover from a precarious position in the quarterfinal game against Baroda. This is also his maiden century in first-class cricket as Mumbai are now looking good to post a decent total on the board in the first innings as they ended the first day at 248/5 after 90 overs.
In other matches, Vidarbha have plundred Karnataka after being invited to bat first with Atharva Taide scoring a brilliant century. Yash Rathod also smashed 93 runs as Vidarbha are in a very good position to post a mammoth total on the board. Madhya Pradesh are in trouble against Andhra and are in danger to fold for less than 250 runs while Tamil Nadu have lost an early wicket after skittling Saurashtra for just 183 runs in the first innings.
