Pune: Samant Jakhar and Ankit Kumar smashed commanding fifties as Haryana produced a dominant performance to thrash Hyderabad by 124 runs and set up a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy summit clash with Jharkhand here on Tuesday.
Asked to bat first, opener Ankit clobbered six sixes and a four in a 27-ball 57, adding 81 runs for the opening stand with Arsh Ranga (30) in just 7.4 overs.
Hyderabad struck back with a few quick wickets, but Jakhar, batting at number six, turned the match decisively with a blistering 22-ball 60, laced with eight sixes and a four. Parth Vats provided late momentum, smashing four fours and three sixes in a 19-ball 45 as Haryana piled up a massive 246 for 7.
In reply, Hyderabad were bundled out for 122 in 16.1 overs, never threatening the imposing target. Amit Rana led the bowling effort with figures of 3 for 14, while Jakhar (2/16), Ishant Bhardwaj (2/35) and Anshul Kamboj (2/16) chipped in with two wickets apiece.
Rahul Buddhi top-scored for Hyderabad with a 24-ball 37, but the chase unravelled quickly as wickets fell at regular intervals. Ajinkya Rahane’s unbeaten 72 and Sarfaraz Khan’s brutal 22-ball 73 powered Mumbai to a three-wicket victory over Rajasthan in their Super League Group B match.
Rahane scored 72 off 41 balls (7 fours, 3 sixes) but it was Sarfaraz who went all guns blazing in yet another chase in excess of 200, clobbering seven sixes and six fours to make 73 off only 22 balls.
Chasing 217, Mumbai never took the foot off the pedal and despite losing wickets in a heap they remained on track for another commanding win, overhauling the target with 11 balls to spare with Rahane anchoring the pursuit.
Mumbai were undeterred in their chase
despite losing Yashasvi Jaiswal (15) after a 41-run opening stand with Rahane.