Musheer Khan's maiden double-ton steadies Mumbai in Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Baroda

India U-19 World Cup star Musheer Khan slammed his maiden first-class double hundred on Saturday in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy quarter-final fixture against Baroda. He came to bat at number three and hit 18 boundaries to breach the 200-run mark. Featuring in only his fourth First-Class fixture, Musheer, who is the younger brother of Sarfaraz Khan, came up with sensational batting performance to earn an upper hand for Mumbai in the game.

The young talented teenager required 350 deliveries to score the double hundred at the BKC Ground in Mumbai. The 18-year-old also stitched a solid 181-run stand with Hardik Tamore for the sixth wicket to help Mumbai weather the early storm.

Mumbai found themselves reeling at 90 for four at one point in the first innings but Musheer, eventually, emerged as his side’s rescuer pulling off a vital knock. The quarter-final fixture against Baroda marked Musheer’s first First-Class game in little over a year since January 2023.

Thanks to Musheer and Mumbai wicketkeeper Tamore’s brilliance with the bat, the Ajinkya Rahane-led side posted 384 runs in the first against Baroda. Tamore returned to the dressing room having scored 57 runs. Musheer remained unbeaten 203 off 357 balls.

Bhargav Bhatt emerged as the star performer with the ball for Baroda as he scalped seven wickets in the first innings. Ninad Rathva bagged the remaining three wickets for the Vishnu Solanki-led side. Baroda, however, did not have a promising start to their first innings as they lost opening batter Priyanshu Moliya for one run in the second over. Shardul Thakur picked up the wicket of Moliya.

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Shashwat Rawat (69 not out off 88 balls), however, steadied Baroda with a half-century, stitching valuable partnerships with Jyotsnil Singh (32) and captain Vishnu Solanki (23 not out) to ensure his team ended the day on 127/2, trailing by 257 with eight wickets in hand.

Going back to Musheer, before this game, he had an average of 19.20 in First-Class cricket along with a strike rate of 40.67 in three appearances. More recently, however, Musheer was one of India’s most promising figures in the U-19 World Cup in which India finished runners-up. The Mumbaikar scored 360 runs at an average of 60.00, including two centuries and a half-century in the tournament in which the ‘Boys in Blue’ remained unbeaten up until their defeat against Australia in the final. The youngster was the second-highest run scorer of the competition.

His elder brother Sarfaraz made his international debut earlier this month and scored two half-centuries against England in the third Test.