Chinmay Sutar steers Royals to glory as batting brilliance seals DY Patil thriller in T20 Mumbai

Complete team show at DY Patil as MSC Maratha Royals clinched a last-over thriller in the T20 Mumbai League against the Strikers. Debutant Sahil Jadhav set the tone early, skipper Siddhesh Lad anchored the chase, and Chinmay Sutar’s unbeaten 55 held it all together. Rohan Raje applied the finishing touch with trademark composure, while Maxwell Swaminathan and debutant Rohan Ghag made key impacts with their bowling on the field.

Calm and clinical, Sutar anchored a tricky chase and sealed the match, earning his first-ever Man of the Match award. On a night of high stakes and higher grit, he lit up DY Patil with a knock to remember.

Behind that punch at DY Patil was a story written long before the first ball. Chinmay Sutar hails from a cricketing pedigree — his father, Rajesh Sutar, opened with Sachin Tendulkar in the iconic 1998 CCI match where Mumbai toppled Australia in just two-and-a-half days. That game, remembered for Tendulkar’s double century and a young Shane Warne toiling in vain, also saw Rajesh contribute a gritty 48.

Inspired by that legacy, Chinmay picked up a bat at five. But at 15, life bowled him a tough bouncer — a bout of tuberculosis during his board exams that sidelined him for nearly a year. The illness tested his spirit, but with unwavering family support, he fought back. His unbeaten 55 wasn’t just a match-winning knock — it was a comeback carved from legacy, struggle, and quiet resilience.

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Chinmay Sutar’s breakthrough came with a century against Hong Kong in the 2019 Emerging Asia Cup. He was later part of Mumbai’s star-studded 2021–22 Vijay Hazare Trophy-winning squad, sharing the dressing room with Rohit Sharma, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, and Shardul Thakur. He didn’t get a game then — the bench was too deep, the spotlight elsewhere. But on Thursday night, with an unbeaten 55 under pressure, Chinmay finally wrote his headline.

“It feels incredible to win my first-ever Man of the Match award in the T20 Mumbai League,” said an elated Chinmay Sutar after his unbeaten 55. “I’d been getting starts but wasn’t converting — today, it was all about intent and trusting my shots. That pull into the stands was definitely the standout moment. Full credit to Sahil for setting the tone and Rohan — or ‘Russell Raje’ as we call him — for finishing it off. Wins like these feel even better when they’re truly team efforts. I’m grateful to the Maratha Royals owners, coaches, and management for backing me and giving me the platform to express myself.”

Debutant opener Sahil Jadhav gave MSC Maratha Royals a flying start with a fluent 36 off 20 in the powerplay, while skipper Siddhesh Lad anchored the chase with a composed 50 off 41. Holding the innings together at the other end was Chinmay Sutar, whose calm presence set the stage for a late flourish. With 21 needed off 12, Rohan Raje walked in and finished the job with poise and precision, sealing the win with complete dominance.

With the ball, Maxwell Swaminathan continued to be the Royals’ strike force, delivering yet another match-shaping spell. He picked up two key wickets, including the dangerous Sashikant (52) and Sairaj, keeping his wicket-taking streak alive in the league. Debutant Rohan Ghag made an immediate impact too, returning tidy figures of 1/21 from his four overs and stealing the spotlight with a stunning one-handed catch that swung the momentum firmly in the Royals’ favour.

Team mentor Abhishek Nayar was all smiles after the win

“We’ve been building a style of play, and today, everything clicked — whether it was Chinmay’s maturity, Sahil’s fearless start, Siddhesh’s composure, or Rohan and Maxwell stepping up when it mattered most. The boys are believing in the plan and executing it beautifully,” he said.

As a mark of appreciation, the team also pooled in a cash prize for Chinmay, Rohan Ghag, and Rohan Raje — recognizing their standout performances in a game that truly reflected the Royals' collective spirit.

MSC Maratha Royals will look to carry forward this momentum as they face Shivam Dube’s ARCS Andheri today, June 7, at 5:30 PM at DY Patil Stadium.