Often overlooked by selectors despite sustained domestic success, Sarfaraz Khan once again underlined his pedigree with a breathtaking knock in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The middle-order batter smashed a scintillating 157 off just 75 balls for Mumbai against Goa on Wednesday, powering his side to an emphatic 87-run victory and keeping them firmly atop the Elite Group C standings.

The innings not only extended Mumbai’s dominance in the tournament but also pushed Sarfaraz back into the spotlight, strengthening his case for a return to senior India contention. Speaking to The Times of India, Sarfaraz credited Mumbai’s openers for negotiating the difficult early conditions, which allowed him to settle in and unleash his strokeplay later in the innings.

“When I came in, the run rate wasn’t too high because both openers handled the tricky first hour really well,” Sarfaraz said. “It’s always challenging in the morning when the ball is doing a bit. I focused on settling down first and then started attacking as the pitch eased. The idea was to score as many runs as possible and put up a strong total.”

Sarfaraz also praised his younger brother Musheer Khan, who played a crucial role at the other end. “By the time I arrived, Musheer was batting beautifully. He was the first to get to fifty,” he said. “I’ve played a lot of one-day cricket and understand how to pace an innings. I rely a lot on my sweep and cut shots, and in this format, with only five fielders allowed outside the circle, it gives me the freedom to play my natural game.”

Despite the extraordinary knock, Sarfaraz admitted there was a tinge of disappointment. The Mumbai batter revealed that he and Musheer share a long-standing dream of scoring centuries in the same match—one that narrowly slipped away once again.

“We have a common dream of scoring hundreds in the same game,” Sarfaraz said. “We came close in the Ranji Trophy this season and again last week, but both of us got out in the fifties. Today, Musheer was batting so well and I really thought it could happen. But dreams don’t come true that quickly.”

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