Mumbai: Baroda has qualified to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after beating Mumbai by one wicket in a nail-biting contest here at the Wankhade Stadium on Monday.
Chasing a mere 152-run target, Baroday was going strong with young Deepak Hooda was still at the crease.
Baroda was struggling at 79/4 when skipper Irfan Pathan came to join Hooda in the sensational run-chase. Both of them added 43 runs for the fifth wicket before Irfan played an overconfident shot which went straight into the hands of Shardul Thakur who was in the short third-man area.
Soon after Pathan’s exit, Hooda also left the crease by mistimed a slower delivery from Thakur which went straight to debutant Shivam Dubey who was at the edge of the circle in cover area. Hooda scored a match-winning 53 runs off just 35 deliveries.
After then, Soaeb Tai and Pinal Shah played some cricket and took close to the target.
Baroda were required to chase down the target in 19.1 overs to qualify for the Final. Bhargav Bhatt played a lofted shot over mid-off fielder which crossed the boundary line and Baroda clinched victory in the last ball of the 19th over.
Previously, Mumbai managed to score 151 runs in 20 overs. Suryakumar Yadav played a sensational knock and scored an unbeaten 36-ball-57 when Mumbai was struggling with 96/5 in the 15th over.
