Shreyas Iyer marked his return to competitive cricket in style, producing a match-winning knock to guide Mumbai into the quarterfinals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy with a tense seven-run victory over Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday.
Playing his first competitive match after a long injury layoff, the stand-in Mumbai captain made the most of two early reprieves to score a fluent 82 off just 53 balls. His innings proved decisive in a must-win Group C encounter that was reduced to a 33-over-a-side contest due to a delayed start caused by dense fog.
Put in to bat, Mumbai were in early trouble after losing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan cheaply. Iyer, initially looking rusty, was dropped twice in the slips by Innesh Mahajan, but he capitalised fully on the chances. Watched closely by national selector RP Singh from the stands at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya ground, Iyer gradually found his rhythm and began to dominate the bowling.
He stitched together a crucial 82-run partnership for the third wicket with Musheer Khan, who played an equally impressive knock of 73 from 51 balls, including eight fours and three sixes. Iyer was particularly severe against the left-arm spinners, taking Mayank Dagar and Kushal Pal apart with calculated aggression. He scored 27 runs off Dagar and 22 off Pal, who nevertheless finished with figures of 3 for 52.
Even after Musheer was caught at covers and Suryakumar Yadav provided a brief burst of entertainment with a couple of sixes and a four, Mumbai’s innings maintained momentum. Cameos from Shivam Dube and Sairaj Patil ensured the side reached a formidable 299 for 9, despite Iyer missing out on a century after being caught at mid-wicket.
In reply, Himachal Pradesh showed resilience. After losing early wickets, Mayank Dagar and Ankush Bains added 110 runs for the third wicket to keep the chase alive. Pukhraj Mann also contributed a gritty fifty, while Amanpreet Singh’s quick 41 off 21 balls raised hopes late in the innings.
Mumbai, however, held their nerve in the final over, defending 12 runs with Dube leading the effort. His four-wicket haul for 68 runs proved vital as Himachal fell just short.
The win confirmed Mumbai’s place in the quarterfinals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, alongside Punjab, and underlined the significance of Iyer’s return, with his innings standing out as the highlight of a dramatic contest.
