New Delhi: Stylish Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan stood invincible against a potent bowling attack of the Rest of India team led by Mukesh Kumar. The ROI bowlers toiled for two grueling days at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow but couldn’t dismiss Sarfaraz as he remained unbeaten on 222 on the morning of Thursday after Mukesh breached the defences of Mohammad Juned Khan, the last Mumbai batter.
Sarfaraz, who became the first player from the Mumbai team to score a double-hundred in the Irani Cup, finished as the fifth highest individual scorer in the tournament. Had the partnership with Shardul Thakur not been broken at the stroke of the Day 2, the 26-year-old Sarfaraz perhaps could have climbed the ladder in the top three spots at least.
Let’s look at the players who have scored the highest individual runs in Irani Cup 2024.
#5 Sarfaraz Khan 222* vs Rest of India, 2024, Lucknow
Sarfaraz came in walked to bat on the afternoon of Day 1 after Shreyas Iyer was dismissed. He stitched a 131-run partnership with skipper Ajinkya Rahane. After being left out of India’s playing XI in the Bangladesh Test series, this was another innings of testament of Sarfaraz’s appetite for runs. He was composed enough to not play any reckless shot, but toyed the ROI fielding with his sizeable experience in domestic cricket.
On Day 2, Sarfaraz completed his double-ton, making him the first batter from Mumbai team to do so in the Irani Cup. It was his fourth double-hundred in his 74th first-class innings. He remained unbeaten on 222 as Mumbai posted a commendable score of 537.
#4 Surinder Amarnath 235* vs Rest of India, 1980, Delhi
In the Irani Cup 1980 edition played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, reigning Ranji champions Delhi faced the wrath of Sunil Gavaskar-led Rest of India, piling ample of runs with 507 on board before the declaration came. In Delhi’s reponse, Surinder Amarnath led the charge with valiant efforts.
Batting at No.4, Amarnath was not out on 235 to propel Delhi to a clinical 121-run lead in the first innings. It turned out to be a decisive knock as the match didn’t see a desired result and Delhi won the Irani Cup by dint of taking the lead in the first innings.
#3 Pravin Amre 246 vs Bengal, 1990, Bengaluru
Pravin Amre joined ROI opener Ravi Shastri to score a double-hundred in the Irani Cup 1990 match against reigning Ranji champions Bengal. It remains to be the only instance where two batters in the same innings have scored a double-hundred in the Irani Cup history.
Amre flourished to outsmart his captain Shastri’s tally on the scorecard. The two masterclass knocks helped ROI put on a mammoth 737 for 7 before the team declared its innings. Despite being put into follow-on, Bengal could never touch the ROI aggregate as Shastri and his men walked off with a win through first innings lead.
#2 Murali Vijay 266 vs Rajasthan, 2012, Bengaluru
Captained by Cheteshwar Pujara, the Rest of India posted 607 for 7 after bowling out defending Ranji Trophy champions Rajasthan for 253. Thanks to elegance of Tamil Nadu-based batter Murali Vijay at the top that ROI bagged a massive 354-run lead.
Vijay belted 36 boundaries and six sixes against a bowling attack comprising Deepak Chahar and Aniket Choudhary to register his highest first-class score. At this point, he set the record for highest individual score in Irani Cup.
#1 Wasim Jaffer 286 vs Rest of India, 2018, Nagpur
Wasim Jaffer is considered as a batting stalwart in domestic cricket. Even at the age of 40, he wanted to prove his worth with the bat. His move from Mumbai to Vidarbha in 2015 helped the latter bag its maiden Ranji Trophy title in 2018 (2017-18 season).
Putting into bat first in the Irani Cup 2018, Jaffer, who was slotted in to bat at No.3, scored 286 to not just shatter the record held by Murali Vijay but also pave the way for Vidarbha to put on a monumental score of 800 in the first innings. Jaffer smashed 34 boundaries and a six before he was bowled by Siddarth Kaul.
Sarfaraz breaks Ravi Shastri and Yuvraj Singh’s record in Irani Cup
Sarafaraz’s 222-run flamboyant unbeaten knock helped him go past Indian cricket greats Ravi Shastri and Yuvraj. Shastri made 217 against Bengal (as mentioned above in the copy in the Pravin Amre section) in 1990. Meanwhile, Yuvraj was unbeaten on 204* against Mumbai in Irani Cup 2010.
The ROI bowlers toiled for two grueling days at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow but couldn’t dismiss Sarfaraz Khan as he remained unbeaten on 222 on the morning of Thursday after Mukesh breached the defences of Mohammad Juned Khan, the last Mumbai batter. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
