Shahrukh Khan (46 n.o., 30b, 5x4, 2x6) rediscovered his characteristic finishing touch to help Tamil Nadu fashion a six-run victory over Railways in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Group B encounter at the Daly College ground here on Saturday.

Having been sent in, Tamil Nadu posted 172 for seven, recovering from a mid-innings wobble through a late assault by Shahrukh and R. Rajkumar (31, 13b, 1x4, 3x6), the duo adding 55 runs off 33 balls for the fifth wicket.

Opener Amith Sathvik set the tone with an enterprising 38 off 28 balls, striking seven fours. He added 65 runs with B. Sachin (33) for the second wicket. But Railways fought back, with leg-spinner Pradhyumn Parikh (two for 29) leading a disciplined bowling effort.

At 83 for three in 11.3 overs, Tamil Nadu needed a pick-me-up. Shahrukh obliged. He cut and lofted inside-out for fours against spin, and pulled a short ball from pacer Atal Bihari Rai over deep squareleg for six. Facing the same bowler in the final over, he sat deep inside the crease to launch another six over cow corner before dispatching a full toss to deep midwicket for four.

Rajkumar, as is typical of him, took the spinners downtown, smoking a straight six each off Pradhyumn and left-arm tweaker Mohammad Saif.

Railways stumbled early in the chase. Slinger Athisayaraj Davidson (three for 47), who returned to Tamil Nadu’s T20 fold after eight years, made an immediate impression, removing both openers in his first over.

Railways slipped to 54 for four in the PowerPlay before Varun Chakaravarthy (two for 17), at his frugal best, struck twice off successive deliveries to leave it reeling at 69 for six. He bowled Saif and had Kritagya Singh edging one to Shahrukh at slip.

Toufik Mondal (57, 22b, 5x4, 5x6) and Zuber Ali (46), however, revived the contest with a 69-run seventh-wicket stand off just 31 balls. But Athisayaraj returned to break the partnership before Gurjapneet Singh held his nerve to defend 11 runs in the final over.

Group-B’s standout performance came in the last match of the day. Mayank Yadav, playing for Delhi for the first time since 2023, marked his return with a terrific three-over spell of five for 14 as Delhi thrashed Jammu & Kashmir by 103 runs at the Holkar Stadium.