Vijay Hazare Trophy: Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer sparkle in Mumbai win with hundreds

Bengaluru, September 23: For all the fluency he displayed throughout the innings,
Shreyas Iyer's hundred came in a scamper - a rather hastily taken single off Ankit Yadav. But Shreyas removed his helmet and stood with his hands aloft for a few moments relishing the occasion.

If Vijay Hazare Trophy can be taken as a platform to make statement, then Shreyas did it in emphatic style. After all, the 144 off 118 balls with eight fours and 10 sixes he made against Railways on Sunday (September 23) was his second successive hundred in this tournament. He had also made a hundred against Karnataka in the previous game.

With spots up for grab in India's middle-order and a home series against the West Indies looming, Shreyas did no harm to his chances in the last few days. However, he will have to share the dais with the spectacular Prithvi Shaw (129, 81b, 14x4, 4x6) and the duo batted together for the second wicket (161 runs) - the foundation of Mumbai's imposing 400 for five in 50 overs and the eventual 173-run victory.

It was only the second instant in the Vijay Hazare Trophy that a team posted 400. Madhya Pradesh was the first team to reach the landmark in 2010 (412 for six) and incidentally Railways were at the receiving end on that occasion too.

Back to the demolition derby of Shreyas and Prithvi then. Both the batsmen have been in fine touch in this tournament. As it has been his vaunt, Shreyas, who came in after the early fall of Ajinkya Rahane, started the innings rather cautiously. But at the other end, Prithvi was in his elements, unfurling a wide array of shots played on the strength of an amazing eye-hand co-ordination.

Pacer Ankit was carted for 18 runs in an over - two sixes and a four - and it was just a segment of Prithvi's aggressive intent and glittering talent. Shreyas too found his full range once he touched fifty. Shaw completed his century off 61 balls with a cover driven boundary off Prashant Awasthi. Even the wicket of Prithvi, caught by stumper Amit Paunikar off Awasthi, did not bring any respite to Railways. Prithvi has made 287 runs from three innings off 200 balls with 34 fours and 12 sixes at a strike rate of 143.5.

By then, Shreyas, who reached 50 off 52 balls, compiled 94 runs off the next 66 balls. And in the company of Surya Kumar Yadav (67 off 55 balls, 6x4, 2x6), Shreyas milked 147 runs in just over 17 overs as Mumbai moved inexorably to 400.

The chase was almost non-existent as there was no serious effort from the Railways batsmen. After all, a target of 401 can douse your spirit.