Yashasvi Jaiswal’s blitzkrieg century sparks Mumbai comeback against Haryana

Yashasvi Jaiswal delivered a thunderous reminder of his T20 pedigree, smashing a breathtaking century to keep Mumbai’s title defence alive in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Ignored by national selectors in the shortest format, the left-hander let his bat do the talking, powering Mumbai to a stunning four-wicket win over Haryana in a high-scoring Super League B clash on Sunday.

After a heavy defeat to Hyderabad dented their net run rate, Mumbai needed something special while chasing a daunting target of 235. They found their answer in Jaiswal, who blazed his way to 101 off just 50 balls, and in Sarfaraz Khan, whose whirlwind 64 off 24 deliveries turned the chase into a one-sided spectacle. The pair added 88 runs in only 6.1 overs, completely shifting the momentum and making a steep chase look remarkably easy as Mumbai romped home in just 17.3 overs.

Earlier, Haryana looked firmly in control. Skipper Ankit Kumar played a fluent knock of 89 off 42 balls, while all-rounder Nishant Sindhu remained unbeaten on 63 off 38 deliveries. Their 110-run stand in just over eight overs propelled Haryana to an imposing 234 for three, a total that seemed more than competitive on a flat surface.

However, Mumbai’s response was ruthless. Veteran Ajinkya Rahane set the tone with a brisk 21 off 10 balls before Jaiswal took complete command. Haryana’s pace attack struggled for bite, operating largely in the 125–130 kmph range, which suited Mumbai’s stroke-makers perfectly. Half-volleys were driven through the line, short balls were pulled with ease, and anything loose disappeared to the boundary.

Jaiswal was particularly severe, striking 16 fours and a six, five of those boundaries coming off Anshul Kamboj alone. Sarfaraz then joined the party, unleashing audacious ramps and lap shots to race to a 16-ball fifty, underlining his own T20 credentials.

After Sarfaraz’s dismissal, Jaiswal initially played the supporting role before accelerating again to finish the match in emphatic fashion. In a classy gesture at the post-match presentation, Jaiswal invited Sarfaraz to join him while collecting the Player of the Match award.

With questions lingering over India’s T20 combination and Shubman Gill’s form under scrutiny, Jaiswal’s knock may yet prompt selectors Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir to take another look at him ahead of upcoming international assignments.

Brief Scores:

Haryana 234/3 in 20 overs (Ankit Kumar 89, Nishant Sindhu 63*).

Mumbai 238/6 in 17.3 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 101*, Sarfaraz Khan 64).