SKY back among runs as Mumbai take control

Kolkata: India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav roared back to form with a fluent 70, forging a match-turning 129-run partnership with Ajinkya Rahane (88 batting), as defending champions Mumbai tightened their grip over Haryana on day three of their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal here on Monday.

Their dominant batting display, following Shardul Thakur’s five-wicket burst in the morning, propelled Mumbai to 278/4 in 67 overs at stumps, a commanding lead of 292 runs.

Rahane, steady as ever, remained unbeaten on 88 off 142 balls, striking 10 boundaries, while Suryakumar dazzled with audacious strokeplay, peppering the field with reverse hits and elegant drives in his 86-ball knock that had two sixes and eight fours.

The duo took Mumbai’s lead past the 200-run mark in no time, turning the game decisively in their favour.

Earlier in the day, Mumbai’s pace spearhead Shardul (18.5-3-58-6) ran through the lower order to wrap up Haryana’s innings for 301 around the opening hour mark.

Mumbai’s spin duo, Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian also chipped in with two wickets each as the defending champions secured a slender but crucial 14-run first-innings lead.

Mumbai’s second innings, however, began shakily.

Gujarat in driver’s seat

Rajkot: Jaymeet Patel completed a well-deserved hundred in the morning but it was keeper-batter Urvil Patel, who knocked the stuffing out of hosts Saurashtra with a superb 140, as Gujarat inched closer to the last-four stage on third day of their quarterfinal here.

Having dismissed Saurashtra for 216, Gujarat finished their first essay on a mammoth 511, a lead of 295, which has almost sealed the deal for Chintan Gaja’s men. While Manan Hingrajia’s stodgy 83 off 219 balls laid the foundation, left-handed Jaymeet (103 off 171 balls) completed his ton.