Sanju Samson’s brisk 46 and KM Asif’s late five-for carried Kerala to a 15-run win over previously unbeaten Mumbai in Lucknow, keeping the southern side firmly in contention in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Kerala 178 for 5 (20 overs)
Mumbai 163 all out (19.4 overs)
The platform
Restored to the top of the order this season, Samson rattled off 46 from 28 balls, peppering both cover and mid-wicket in an opening stand of 71. “I’m enjoying opening again; it lets me play my natural game,” he said afterwards. Although Vishnu Vinod laboured for much of his 43* (40), the innings was given late lift by left-hander Sharafuddeen, whose unbeaten 35 from just 15 balls featured three sixes and nudged Kerala to 178 for 5 – a total that always felt competitive on a two-paced surface.
Mumbai’s reply
Sharafuddeen struck in his first over, removing the in-form Ayush Mhatre, but Ajinkya Rahane countered with 32 off 18 to keep Mumbai level with the rate. Sarfaraz Khan – fresh from a maiden T20 hundred last time out – added 52 from 40, working the gaps rather than forcing the pace. At his dismissal Mumbai required 80 from eight overs, with Suryakumar Yadav still at the crease.
The turning point
Shivam Dube’s seven-ball 11 left Suryakumar to manage the chase. He cut the ask to 31 from three overs before Asif returned with the older, softer ball. Two yorkers and a slower bouncer in the 18th over accounted for Suryakumar (32 off 25) and two lower-order partners, flipping the game on its head. “I just tried to hit the right length and back my yorker,” Asif explained. Mumbai needed 18 from the last over with two wickets left; Asif required only four deliveries to finish the job, sealing figures of 5 for 23.
Reaction and context
Mumbai coach Omkar Salvi admitted the side “left too much for the end”, praising Asif’s control at the death – cricket shorthand for the closing overs when bowlers look for yorkers or slower balls. Kerala captain Sachin Baby, meanwhile, highlighted Sharafuddeen’s all-round contribution: “Those 15 balls with the bat changed our total, and his early wicket set the tone.”
Kerala move to eight points, level with Mumbai at the top of the group but behind on net run-rate. Both teams have two matches left to firm up semi-final spots; neither will underestimate the value of momentum after this see-saw evening in Lucknow.
