Mumbai, June 13 (IANS) Siddhesh Lad-led Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals lifted the T20 Mumbai League 2025 trophy after beating Shreyas Iyer-led SoBo Mumbai Falcons by five wickets in the grand final at the iconic Wankhede Stadium here.

Playing in front of a packed Wankhede Stadium that included members of India’s first World Cup winning side Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, and 2024 T20 World Cup winning captain Rohit Sharma, SoBo Mumbai Falcons overcame early setbacks to post a competitive 157/4, thanks to a composed half-century from Mayuresh Tandel (50 not out), and a powerful unbeaten 45 from Harsh Aghav.

In response, Chinmay Sutar (53) anchored the MSC Maratha Royals’ chase with a fluent half-century, supported by valuable contributions from Sahil Jadhav (22), Sachin Yadav (19), and the explosive Awais Khan (38).

Skipper Siddhesh Lad (15) and Sahil gave the Royals a steady start with a quick 32-run opening stand. Chinmay then took charge, constructing two crucial partnerships — a 41-run stand with Sachin Yadav followed by a 63-run alliance with Awais Khan — that put the Royals firmly in control of the chase.

However, with just eight runs required off 10 balls, left-arm spinner Kartik Mishra brought the Falcons back into the contest with a dramatic penultimate over, dismissing both Awais and Chinmay to momentarily swing the momentum.

But with seven needed off the final over, Rohan Raje kept his composure, slashing a boundary off the first delivery and sealing the win with four balls to spare, guiding the Royals to a tense yet well-earned victory.

Earlier, asked to bat first, the Falcons failed to find early rhythm, losing both openers — Angkrish Raghuvanshi (7) and Ishan Mulchandani (20) — with just 33 on the board. Skipper Shreyas Iyer (12) and Amogh Bhatkal (16) too fell without capitalising on their starts. Left-arm spinner Vaibhav Mali was instrumental in denting the Falcons early, removing Raghuvanshi and then claiming the prized scalp of Iyer.

Struggling at 72/4 after 12 overs, the Falcons were in a spot of bother before Mayuresh and Harsh stitched together a crucial 85-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Their unbroken stand not only steadied the innings but also gave the team vital momentum heading into the second half of the final.

Earlier in the evening, players from SoBo Mumbai Falcons and Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals, along with officials from the Mumbai Cricket Association, observed a minute’s silence in memory of the victims of the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad.

Ahead of the T20 Mumbai League 2025 Final at the Wankhede Stadium, a condolence message was displayed on the big screen, and all players took the field wearing black armbands as a mark of respect.

The message on the screen read: “Our prayers are with the victims of today’s crash. Remembering them in silence and solidarity.”

While Chinmay took the Orange Cap with an overall tally of 271 runs, Shashank Attarde was the Purple Cap winner with 11 wickets from 6 games.

Brief Scores: SoBo Mumbai Falcons 157/4 (Mayuresh Tandel 50 not out, Harsh Aghav 45 not out; Vaibhav Mali 2/32) lost to MSC Maratha Royals 158/5 (Chinmay Sutar 53, Awais Khan 38; Kartik Mishra 2/33) by 5 wickets.

—IANS

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