Cheteshwar Pujara lived up to his reputation with a splendid 107 off 127 balls. Still, the Saurashtra batting mainstay could not prevent Mumbai from registering their maiden win
Cheteshwaru00a0Pujara lived up to his reputation with a splendid 107 off 127 balls. Still, the Saurashtra batting mainstay could not prevent Mumbai from registering their maiden win in the West Zone one-dayers for the Ramakant Desai Trophy in Rajkot yesterday.
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What a relief: Mumbai coach Praveen Amre |
Thanks to an all-round bowling effort led by Iqbal Abdullah (4-35 in 6 overs) and Usman Malvi (2-32 in 10 overs), Mumbai managed to restrict Saurashtra to 219 before overhauling the total in the 45th over with three wickets in hand.
Coach Praveen Amre, relieved after Mumbai's first win after two successive losses against Baroda and Gujarat, credited the improved bowling performance for the victory.
"It was a much better bowling performance than the first two matches," Amre told MiD DAY after the win.
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"Yesterday, we discussed that we had to tighten our bowling department if we were to be in with a chance and all the bowlers pulled up their socks, which paid off in the end."
Amre added that the change in the team combination was rewarded. Mumbai included Ankit Chavan as the third spinner in addition to Abdullah and Ramesh Powar. "Three spinners meant Abhishek (Nayar) had to take more responsibility with the ball and all of them the spinners and Abhishek, delivered." Mumbai now play Maharashtra in their last league encounter.
