In an excellent showcase of long-emerging talent Iran Cup 2024, Mumbai pacer M Juned Khan marked an important milestone in his cricket career by winning his first first-class innings. This feat came on day 3, Thursday, October 3, after he dropped it Rest of India captain Ruturaj Gaikwad at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
Ruturaj Gaikwad falls to a magnificent catch by Prithvi Shaw
The highlight of Gaikwad’s dismissal came in the second ball of the 11th over, which showcased Jundi’s bowling prowess. He delivered a well-executed delivery of good length that forced Gaikwad to push forward, leading to an outside edge. The ball was skillfully caught Prithvi Shaw on the second slide, highlighting Shaw’s sharp reflexes and excellent positioning. Gaikwad, who was struggling to settle, managed to score 9 runs off 27 balls, including a solitary boundary.
Here’s the video:
Maiden First-Class wicket for Mohammad Juned Khan on debut 🙌
What a way to get off the mark! He takes the big wicket of captain Ruturaj Gaikwad 👌#Cup of Iran | @IDFCFIRSTBank
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/Er0EHGOZKh pic.twitter.com/KvUOFHK6Nx
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) October 3, 2024
After Gaikwad’s dismissal for 9 runs, the rest of India stabilized their innings with a solid partnership. Abhimanyu Easwaran emerged as the star performer, scoring an impressive 84 not out from 96 balls so far, including 7 fours and 1 six. Sai Sudharsan contributed a prudent 32 runs before being dismissed lbw by Tanush Kotian. So far, the team has reached 141 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in 36 overs.
ALSO READ: Iran Cup 2024 Schedule: Match Date, Time, Broadcast & Live Streaming Details
Mumbai’s challenging start
Earlier, Mumbai, opting to bat first, got off to a rough start as they lost Shaw (4) and Hardik Thamore (0) inside on the third, putting them under early pressure. The situation worsened when Ayush Mhatre fell just behind for 19 runs off 35 balls, which saw the third wicket claimed by Mukesh Kumar. Despite these obstacles, the experienced duo of Ajinkya Rahane AND Shreyas Iyer stepped up, stabilizing the innings with a crucial 102-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Iyer, showing his skill and composure, was eventually dismissed for an 84-ball 57, which included six boundaries and two sixes, providing much-needed momentum for Mumbai.
Fighting knock from Ajinkya Rahane
Riding on the momentum, Rahane, supported admirably by Sarfaraz Khanput together a wonderful partnership, adding 130 runs for the fifth wicket before Rahane fell just short of a century. He ended his innings with 97 runs from 234 balls, showing his determination and ability. Sarfaraz, however, continued to shine, forming an incredible 183-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Tanush Kotian. Kotian contributed strongly with 64 runs off 124 balls, including six boundaries, helping build a sizeable total.
Sarfaraz Khan’s unbeaten double century
Sarfaraz delivered an outstanding performance, scoring his 15th first-class century and ending the innings unbeaten with an impressive 222 runs off 286 balls. His haul included 25 fours and four sixes, demonstrating his incredible ability to dominate bowlers. With this solid foundation laid by Sarfaraz and the rest of the batting line-up, Mumbai finished their innings on a commanding total of 537 runs. On the bowling front, Mukesh stood out for the rest of India, claiming five wickets as he looked to help his team regain momentum in the match.
