MSC Maratha Royals won a last-over thriller over the Strikers in the T20 Mumbai League at DY Patil Stadium. Debutant Sahil Jadhav set the tone early, skipper Siddhesh Lad led the chase, and Chinmay Sutar’s unbroken 55 kept everything together. Rohan Raje finished with characteristic composure, while Maxwell Swaminathan and newcomer Rohan Ghag made significant contributions with their bowling.
Sutar, calm and clinical, anchored a tough chase and completed the victory, earning his first Man of the Match honour. On a night of high stakes and tremendous grit, he lit up DY Patil with a memorable knock.
Behind that fist at DY Patil was a saga that began long before the first ball. Chinmay Sutar is from a cricketing family; his father, Rajesh Sutar, opened alongside Sachin Tendulkar in the historic 1998 CCI match in which Mumbai defeated Australia in just two and a half days. That game, known for Tendulkar’s double century and a young Shane Warne’s futile efforts, also featured Rajesh’s tough 48.
Chinmay was inspired by that legacy to pick up a bat when he was five years old. But at 15, life dealt him a harsh blow: a bout of TB during his board examinations that delayed him for nearly a year. The sickness strained his spirit, but with steadfast family support, he battled back. His unbroken 55 wasn’t simply a match-winning knock; it was a comeback built on legacy, struggle, and quiet perseverance.
Chinmay Sutar made his debut with a century against Hong Kong in the 2019 Emerging Asia Cup.
He later joined Mumbai’s star-studded 2021-22 Vijay Hazare Trophy-winning side, sharing the dressing room with Rohit Sharma, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, and Shardul Thakur. He didn’t play then because the bench was too deep and the emphasis was elsewhere. However, on Thursday night, with an unbeaten 55 under pressure, Chinmay finally wrote his headline.
“It feels incredible to win my first-ever Man of the Match award in the T20 Mumbai League,” remarked an ecstatic Chinmay Sutar after his unbeaten 55. “I’d been getting starts but not converting; today, it was all about intent and confidence in my shoots. The pull into the stands was undoubtedly the most memorable moment. Sahil deserves full credit for setting the tone, and Rohan — or ‘Russell Raje’ as we nickname him — for bringing it all together. Wins like this feel even greater when they are truly collaborative endeavours. I’m grateful to the Maratha Royals’ owners, coaches, and management for their support and allowing me a platform to express myself.”
Debutant opener Sahil Jadhav got MSC Maratha Royals off to a flying start with a smooth 36 off 20 in the powerplay, while skipper Siddhesh Lad led the chase with a controlled 50 off 41. Chinmay Sutar held the innings together at the other end, and his cool demeanour created the stage for the late flourish. With 21 needed from 12, Rohan Raje stepped in and finished the job with calm and perfection, securing the victory with complete dominance.
With the ball, Maxwell Swaminathan continued to be the Royals’ attacking force, providing another match-changing performance. He took two vital wickets, including the dangerous Sashikant (52) and Sairaj, to extend his league wicket-taking streak. Debutant Rohan Ghag also had an immediate impact, returning tidy figures of 1/21 from four overs and stole the show with a sensational one-handed grab that moved the momentum decisively in the Royals’ favour.
Abhishek Nayar, the team’s mentor, was all grins after the triumph.
“We’ve been developing a style of play, and today, everything came together – whether it was Chinmay’s maturity, Sahil’s fearless start, Siddhesh’s poise, or Rohan and Maxwell stepping up when it counted the most. “The boys are believing in the plan and carrying it out perfectly,” he remarked.
As a token of appreciation, the team also provided a monetary prize to Chinmay, Rohan Ghag, and Rohan Raje, recognising their outstanding efforts in a game that truly exemplified the Royals’ collective spirit.
MSC Maratha Royals will try to build on this momentum when they meet Shivam Dube‘s ARCS Andheri today, June 7, at 5:30 PM at DY Patil Stadium.
India
