Sarfaraz Khan (Image credit: JAIPUR: For months now, Sarfaraz Khan has been living with the noise – whispering about “missed chances”, stalling opportunities and the nagging feeling that he needs to knock on a statement. He delivered with the hammer on Wednesday, scoring 157 off 75 balls to power Mumbai to an 87-run win over Goa at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground. The fourth win in a row kept Mumbai at the top of the Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite Group C table and ended Goa’s three-match winning streak.All eyes were on Yashasvi Jaiswal but it was Sarfaraz who stole the afternoon show. Riding on their brutal batting, Mumbai posted a staggering 444/8, a total that essentially decided the break. Goa fought hard to get past 350 but the chase was always too far past Abhinav Tejran’s 100.
Why Mumbai’s iconic Azad Maidan is no longer safe for cricket | Bombay Sports Stock Exchange
Jaiswal, back from acute gastroenteritis, made 46 before falling trying to force pace. Sarfaraz’s younger brother Musheer Khan then shaped the innings with a smooth 60, keeping the board moving and setting the batting ramp. Sarfaraz took charge and turned the game into a major role.Batting at No. 4, he hit nine fours and 14 sixes to get his hundred off just 56 balls. His innings left the Goa bowlers and fielders looking shell-shocked.“When I came in, the run rate was not very high as both the openers cut off a tricky first hour,” Sarfaraz told TOI. “It’s always tough in the morning when the ball is doing a bit well. I settled down first and then attacked when the pitch cleared. The plan was to score as many runs as possible and set a strong target.”He also highlighted how the rig helped him explode. “When I came to the crease, Musheer was batting really well. He was the first to reach his fifty,” Sarfaraz said. “I’ve played a lot of one-dayers and I know how to pace an innings. I have a good sweep and cut and in this format you can’t have more than five players in the field. That gives me the freedom to play my shots.”Despite the knock in his dream, Sarfaraz admitted he had one regret. “We have a common dream to score hundreds in the same game,” he said. “We were close in the Ranji Trophy this season and again last week but we both got out in the fifties. Musheer batted so well today and I thought we could do it. But dreams don’t come true that quickly.”SHORT Score: Mumbai 444/8 in 50 overs (Sarfaraz Khan 157 off 75 balls; Musheer Khan 60; Hardik Tamore 53; Yashasvi Jaiswal 46; Darshan Misal 3/98, V Koushik 2/60, Lalit Yadav 2/93/97 beat Gonava over Go Tejrana 100; Lalit Yadav 64, Yashasvi Jaiswal 2/52) by 87 runs.
