Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Prithvi Shaw smashes 23-ball fifty as Maharashtra decimate Hyderabad in 8-wicket victory

Maharashtra captain Prithvi Shaw continued his blistering form in domestic cricket and smacked a stunning half-century against Hyderabad in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). His knock of 66 and Arshin Kulkarni's unbeaten 89 carried Maharashtra to the target of 192 as they got back to winning ways after their loss to Jammu & Kashmir in the tournament opener.

After winning the toss and electing to bowl first, the Maharashtra bowling attack racked up three wickets in the first seven overs to ensuire that the Hyderabad batters failed to form any big partnerships. None of the players played any standout knocks, but instead their cameos helped the side in getting to a formidable total.

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Hyderabad skipper Chama Miling was the top-scorer with his unbeaten inning of 35 while both Rahul Buddhi and Tanay Thyagaranjan also played valiant cameos of 32 and 35 respectively. These knocks saw Hyderabad post a big total of 191/8  on the board after 20 overs. 

Maharashtra started on a strong note

In reply, Maharashtra began their innings on a fantastic note as the opening duo of Shaw and Kulkarni smashed opposing bowlers all around the park. Both of them played several fine shots, taking the side's total over the 100-run mark in no time. Shaw went on to bring up his half-century in just 23 deliveries, but eventually lost his wicket for 66 runs. His knock included nine boundaries and three sixes, inflicting significant damage over the Hyderabad bowling attack. The dismissal brought an end to the solid 117-run opening stand.

Kulkarni guides Maharashtra to victory

Shaw's dismissal didn't stop Kulkarni from further punishing the opposing bowlers as Maharashtra got closer to the target. He would  eventually remain unbeaten on 89 and was assisted well by Rahul Tripathi's impactful cameo of 26 as the side reached the 192-run target with eight deliveries left to spare. It was a stellar batting performance from Prithvi Shaw & Co. as they went  on to record their first victory of the  season. Kulkkarni was adjudged as  the Player of the Match for his match-winning knock.

Maharashtra's next fixture in the SMAT will be against Chandigarh and will be played on November 30.