Ayaz Khan rose to the occasion when it mattered the most as his composed yet authoritative knock ensured defending champion MSC Maratha Royals kept its title defence alive by sealing a place in the T20 Mumbai semifinals at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.

Riding on Ayaz’s superb 87 (49b, 7×4, 3×6), the Royals chased down ARCS Andheri’s target of 169 with comfort to set up a semifinal showdown against North Mumbai Panthers on Thursday.

Even before the final league fixture began, the equation had become crystal clear. With SoBo Mumbai Falcons having defeated table-topper North Mumbai Panthers earlier in the day, Siddhesh Lad’s Royals needed only a victory to advance to the knockouts.

Already assured of a semifinal berth, ARCS Andheri opted to rest captain Shivam Dube, placing the responsibility of steering the innings on Musheer Khan’s young shoulders.

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The youngster responded impressively. Musheer crafted a fluent 62 off 36 deliveries, timing the ball sweetly and ensuring the scoreboard continued to move despite wickets falling at regular intervals.

However, a disciplined Royals attack denied Andheri the late flourish it desperately sought, restricting the innings to 168 at the end of the allotted overs.

The chase suffered an early setback when opener Sahil Jadhav departed off the very first ball. Ayaz, though, remained unfazed. Walking in at No. 3 under considerable pressure, the stylish left-hander built the innings methodically before accelerating at the right moments. Equally adept at finding gaps and clearing the ropes, Ayaz ensured Royals never found themselves chasing the required rate. By the time he departed in the 18th over, the outcome had become a mere formality.

Fittingly, it was Tushar Deshpande who completed the job in emphatic fashion, finishing the chase with three towering sixes as Royals moved one step closer to defending the crown.

Published on Jun 10, 2026