SMAT: Prithvi Shaw hammers fiery 66 against Hyderabad
What's the story
Prithvi Shaw, the out-of-favor Indian opener, made a strong case for his return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a blistering half-century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy clash against Hyderabad. Leading Maharashtra's chase at the JU Campus in Salt Lake, Kolkata, Shaw scored 66 runs off just 36 balls. He hit nine boundaries and three sixes during his innings. Notably, Shaw led Maharashtra in the game in Ruturaj Gaikwad's absence. Here we look at his stats.
Team effort
Shaw's explosive partnership and quick 50
Chasing a challenging 192, Shaw opened the innings with Arshin Kulkarni (89), and the duo put on a whopping 117-run stand in just 73 balls. Shaw reached his fifty in just 23 balls, sending a clear message to IPL scouts. His aggressive batting approach saw him take on a Hyderabad bowling attack that lacked big names from the very first over. Though Shaw eventually fell in the 13th over, Maharashtra comfortably prevailed by eight wickets.
Stats
3,000 T20 runs loading for Shaw
The 66 was Shaw's 21st half-century in the T20 format as he also boasts a hundred, as per ESPNcricinfo. Having played 119 games, the dashing opener has raced to 2,973 runs at an average of 25.19. His strike rate is a stunning 151.99. Meanwhile, 1,081 of his T20 runs have come in 39 matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at 28.44. In the IPL, he has scored 1,892 runs from 79 matches at 23.94.
Career trajectory
Shaw's past performance and future prospects
Shaw, who has been among the runs lately, had a stellar first half of the Ranji Trophy, scoring 470 runs in five matches at an average of 67. However, he struggled last year with Mumbai, managing just 59 runs in four innings of the Ranji Trophy before being dropped. Poor form and disciplinary issues led to Shaw missing out on an IPL contract last year for the first time after seven years with Delhi Capitals.
Auction anticipation
Shaw's potential IPL future and auction details
Despite his past struggles, Shaw's recent form could attract strong interest in the upcoming IPL mini-auction on December 15 in Abu Dhabi. Several teams are looking to shuffle their opening combinations, which could work in Shaw's favor. Kolkata Knight Riders, who struggled with their top-order pairing last season, may even consider bidding for him as a local opener option.