New Delhi: Star India batters Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube stole the spotlight in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with an electrifying partnership. In the match between Mumbai and Services at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, the duo put on a brilliant 130-run stand, guiding Mumbai to a formidable total of 192/4. After Mumbai elected to bat first, they faced early setbacks, losing Prithvi Shaw for a duck, while captain Shreyas Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane could only manage 20 and 22 runs, respectively. However, Suryakumar and Dube’s explosive batting ensured Mumbai recovered and posted a challenging total.
Mumbai have set a target of 193 in front of Services
Suryakumar Yadav (70 off 46) and Shivam Dube (71*off 37) put on a solid 130-run stand!
Can Services chase it down? #SMAT | @IDFCFIRSTBank
Scorecard https://t.co/fYSxpPPSvj pic.twitter.com/0KOJI9uxuy
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) December 3, 2024
The explosive partnership between Dube and Suryakumar proved to be Mumbai’s saving grace as they unleashed a flurry of boundaries and sixes. Suryakumar’s brilliant knock of 70 off 46 balls, coupled with Dube’s powerful 71 from just 37 balls at a breathtaking strike rate of 191.89, turned the tide in Mumbai’s favor. Suryakumar was retained by Mumbai Indians for a whopping Rs 16.35 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, while Chennai Super Kings secured Dube’s services for Rs 12 crore.
India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, made his return to action for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on December 3, Tuesday, after a two-week break for a family wedding. He is set to play the rest of the tournament for Mumbai and will also feature in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, which begins on December 21.
Shreyas Iyer, who was appointed as Mumbai’s captain for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, continued to lead the side even after the inclusion of Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20I captain. It was understood that Suryakumar was fully supportive of Iyer’s leadership and was comfortable batting at any position for the benefit of the team.
Suryakumar Yadav recently captained India to a commanding 3-1 series victory over South Africa on their home turf. Meanwhile, Shivam Dube, India’s white-ball specialist, was not included in the squad for the tour.
Placed fourth in Group E, Mumbai have won two of their three matches so far. They have two league games remaining, with their next match against Nagaland scheduled for Sunday.
The ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has seen several high-profile players participate following India’s T20I tour of South Africa, including Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Varun Chakravarthy, and others. Suryakumar Yadav also featured in a round of the Ranji Trophy in October before heading to South Africa for the T20I series.
