The Irani Cup 2024 match between Mumbai and the Rest of India is being played at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. In this match, Sarfaraz Khan took Mumbai to a big score by scoring a double century and put them in a position to win the title.
Let us tell you that Sarfaraz has now become the 11th player to score a double century in Irani Cup history. Before him, Gundappa Vishwanath, Wriddhiman Saha, Yuvraj Singh, Parthasarathi Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravi Shastri, Surinder Amarnath, Praveen Amre, Murali Vijay and Wasim Jaffer have achieved this feat.
Sarfaraz Khan’s Exceptional Innings
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Sarfaraz Khan had scored 219 runs in balls by the end of the second day’s play. With this, he has come to the fifth position, leaving behind many great batsmen in terms of the biggest innings in Irani Cup history. Sarfaraz has left behind Gundappa Vishwanath (200*), Wriddhiman Saha (203*), Yuvraj Singh (204*), Parthasarathi Sharma (206), Yashasvi Jaiswal (213) and Ravi Shastri (217) in this case. Here we are going to tell you about those 5 players who have played the biggest innings in the Irani Cup.
Top five highest individual innings in Irani Cup history
1. Wasim Jaffer – 286 Runs
Match: Vidarbha vs. Rest of India, 2018
Location: Nagpur
Wasim Jaffer, one of the greatest batsmen in Indian domestic cricket history, holds the record for playing the biggest innings in Irani Cup history. Jaffer, playing for Vidarbha in 2018, played a brilliant innings of 286 runs in 431 balls against the Rest of India in a match played in Nagpur.
In this match, Vidarbha, captained by Faiz Fazal, declared their first innings at 800/7. The match was drawn and Vidarbha was declared the winner based on first innings lead. The rest of India were all out for 390 in their first innings with Hanuma Vihari scoring 183 runs.
2. Murali Vijay – 266 Runs
Match: Rest of India vs. Rajasthan, 2012
Location: Bangalore
Former Tamil Nadu batsman Murali Vijay’s name is in second place in terms of playing the biggest innings in Irani Cup history. Murali, playing for the Rest of India in Bangalore in the Irani Cup 2012, played a brilliant innings of 266 runs in 394 balls against Rajasthan. In that match, the Rest of India, captained by Cheteshwar Pujara, won by an innings and 79 runs.
3. Praveen Amre – 246 Runs
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Match: Rest of India vs. Bengal, 1990
Location: Bangalore
Praveen Amre played a brilliant innings of 246 runs while playing for the Rest of India under the captaincy of Ravi Shastri in the Irani Cup 1990. In this match played against Bengal in Bangalore, his team declared their first innings at a score of 737/7.
However, Bengal’s team could score only 262 runs in the first innings and could score only 373/8 while playing follow-on, then the match time ended. Due to this, the Rest of India team became the winner. Let us tell you that, in this match, Ravi Shastri also played an innings of 217 runs, which is the sixth biggest innings played by any batsman in Irani Cup history.
4. Surinder Amarnath – 235 Runs
Match: Delhi vs. Rest of India, 1980
Location: Delhi
Surinder Amarnath, son of Lala Amarnath and brother of Mohinder Amarnath, played a big innings of 235* runs in 600 balls while captaining Delhi in the Irani Cup 1980. In that match played in Delhi, his team won against Sunil Gavaskar-led Rest of India by gaining the lead in the first innings.
Let us tell you that, in Indian domestic cricket, in the decisive matches of first-class level (quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals), in case the match is not completed, the team gaining the lead in the first innings is declared the winner. In the Irani Cup 1980, the Rest of India batted first and declared their innings at 507/9 in the first innings, while Delhi scored 628/8 in the first innings and declared the innings. Due to this, Delhi’s team became the winner even in the event of the match not being completed.
5. Sarfaraz Khan – 222* Runs
Match: Mumbai vs. Rest of India, 2024
Location: Lucknow
Mumbai batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed has played many big innings in domestic cricket over the years. In the first innings of the match being played in Lucknow against the Rest of India in the Irani Cup 2024, he played a brilliant innings of 222* runs with the help of 25 fours and 4 sixes in 286 balls till the end of the second day’s play. With this, he came fifth in terms of playing the biggest innings in Irani Trophy history.
To conclude with
The Irani Cup has long been a platform for showcasing exceptional batting talent in Indian cricket. The top five innings listed above not only reflect individual brilliance but also highlight the significance of these performances in determining the outcome of crucial matches. As Sarfaraz Khan continues to make his mark, cricket enthusiasts are keenly watching to see how he will further elevate his legacy in the world of domestic cricket. The blend of historic performances and emerging talent makes the Irani Cup a celebrated event in the cricketing calendar.
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