On Day 3 of the Irani Cup finals, the Rest of India totally destroyed Saurashtra’s batting lineup and went on to win the competition by 175 runs after a stunning Day 2 performance. Notably, Day 3 began with Jaydev Unadkat being dismissed by Saurabh Kumar as the host team was bowled out for 214 runs.
Sai Sudharsan and Mayank Agarwal provided the Rest of India a strong start in the second innings by putting together an 85-run combination that established the tone for the game. Parth Bhut, though, caused havoc in the middle as the Hanuma Vihari-led team lost wickets quickly. The 26-year-old took seven wickets, causing the opposing team to be dismissed for 160 runs. The Jaydev Unadkat-led team was then given the task of chasing down 254 runs. It wasn’t a simple chore, though, on Rajkot’s spin-friendly track.
Saurabh Kumar, a cricketer from Uttar Pradesh, made things very difficult for the Ranji champions.
The 30-year-old took six wickets and completely destroyed Saurastra’s top order, which ultimately helped them win the match with relative ease. Later on, Shams Mulani contributed as well and took three wickets, which ultimately forced Saurashtra out of the competition.
In the end, Saurabh Kumar took six wickets as the Rest of India defeated the opposition by 175 runs to win the Irani Cup. After his outstanding performance, the cricketer was awarded Player of the Match. In the end, he managed to take ten wickets while also contributing some significant runs in the opening innings. This should give him more confidence going into the domestic season as he seeks to carry on in the same way.
“During that time, getting runs was crucial. We now know how long to bowl on this pitch, which was helpful. Sarfaraz made some excellent catches, which benefited the bowlers. After the game, Saurabh said, “Has been a good start and would like to continue the same manner.