SMAT 2024: Ajinkya Rahane slams his third successive 80-plus score
The experienced Ajinkya Rahane was on fire in the first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy semifinal against Baroda. Rahane opened for Mumbai in the match at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru and scored a breath-taking 98. His innings included some brilliant boundaries as Mumbai comfortably accomplished the 159-run target. Notably, this was his third successive score of 80-plus this season.
Another sensational knock from Rahane
Rahane was joined by skipper Shreyas Iyer after Hardik Pandya dismissed Prithvi Shaw for 8. The duo batted with remarkable intent and knocked Baroda out of the contest. Both batters played aggressively and added 88 runs in quick time. The partnership ended with Iyer's departure for 46. However, Rahane continued the good work at one end as Mumbai crossed the line in just 17.2 overs. Rahane was unfortunate to miss out on a ton as Abhimanyu Singh ended his stay.
Third successive score of 80-plus
Rahane's form has been phenomenal throughout the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In the quarterfinals against Vidarbha, Rahane scored 85 off 45 balls at a strike rate of 186.67, guiding Mumbai to chase a tough target of 222 and win by six wickets. Rahane's preceding outing saw him score 95 off 54 balls against Andhra as Mumbai chased down a mammoth 230 in Hyderabad.
Leading run-getter of the season
Rahane's 98 came from just 56 balls as he smoked 11 boundaries and five maximums. This was his fifth fifty this season and a third successive one. His scores this season are 13, 52, 68, 22, 95, 84 and 98. With 432 runs at 61.71, Rahane is the leading run-getter this year (SR: 169.41). As per ESPNcricinfo, Rahane has raced to 1,401 runs overall in SMAT at 28.02 (50s: 13). His strike rate reads 129.72.
Rahane registers his 48th fifty in T20s
Rahane, who registered his career-best SMAT score, now has 48 fifties in T20 cricket. He also owns two tons. The veteran has raced to 6,815 runs at 29-plus. His strike rate is over 123. Notably, the 36-year-old has completed 160 T20 sixes.
Rahane's potential captaincy for KKR sparks discussion
Rahane's exploits in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy have sparked discussions about him leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as captain in the next IPL season. The speculation arises as KKR seeks a new captain after they released Shreyas Iyer, who was picked up by Punjab Kings at the IPL auction.
