Pune, Oct 7 A practice match between Ranji Trophy teams from Mumbai and Pune ended in an ugly confrontation between former Mumbai player Prithvi Shaw and Musheer Khan, with the former charging at the latter with his bat.
The warm-up match was progressing like any other practice match before the players got confrontational after Musheer claimed Shaw's wicket for 181 off 220 balls. As the batter walked off the pitch, some verbal volleys were directed at him by players who were his teammates in many matches a couple of years ago.
Shaw retaliated with words and also moved threateningly towards Musheer with his bat. Other players and the umpires intervened before things got out of hand and resulted in a bigger brawl.
Shaw, who hammered some big hits and got out attempting to slog-sweep Musheer out of the ground before being caught at deep fine leg, had exchanged words with his former Mumbai teammate Siddhesh Lad and was a bit belligerent.
Shaw, who made his name as a prodigious talent on the maidans and played five Tests, six ODIs and a T20I, was quite prolific in the domestic circuit for a few years, losing his way last year. He has had disciplinary issues earlier, also. A former Indian opener, he lost his place in the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team and, a few months back, decided to move away from Mumbai in the hope of getting time to play. He had taken an NOC from Mumbai and will be representing Pune in the upcoming season.
This attempt to seek green pastures to revive his flagging career seems to have acted as the latest flashpoint between Shaw and the Mumbai players.
Neither the Mumbai Cricket Association nor the Maharashtra Cricket Association has issued any statement on the confrontation, playing it down as an exchange between over exuberant players.
Shaw had earlier reached his century off 140 balls and ended the day on 181, helping Maharashtra cross 400 on the opening day of the match being played in Pune.
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