Mumbai, Mar 15:
Mumbai clinched the Ranji Trophy title after an eight-season gap with a convincing 169-run victory over Vidarbha at the Wankhede Stadium here on Thursday.
However, Mumbai’s victory march was delayed due to Vidarbha skipper Akshay Wadkar (102) and Harsh Dubey’s (65) strong partnership of 130 runs.
Despite their resistance, Mumbai bowlers eventually broke through. Tanush Kotian and Tushar Deshpande made crucial breakthroughs to dismantle Vidarbha’s batting lineup.
Deshpande bounced out Dubey and Adiya Sarvate with the short-ball ploy, while Kotian cleaned up Yash Thakur.
With the last wicket left, Dhawal Kulkarni duly finished off the formalities in his farewell game by castling Umesh Yadav.
In hindsight, it is the first innings performance that would haunt Vidarbha for a long time to come.
In the first innings, Mumbai’s lower order, led by Shardul Thakur, rescued them from a collapse, ensuring a respectable total after a shaky start. The allrounder scored 75, whose counterattack left Vidarbha clueless.
Mumbai had collapsed from 81/0 to 111/6 before Shardul’s counterpunching knock of 75 left Vidarbha clueless.
The batting dominance of the hosts continued in the second innings, with Musheer Khan (136), Shreyas Iyer (95), and Ajinkya Rahane (73) making significant contributions. Shams Mulani’s half-century further boosted Mumbai’s lead by 500 runs.
Despite facing a daunting target of 538, Vidarbha’s Wadkar and Dubey showcased resilience, but Mumbai’s big-game mentality ultimately secured the win for them.
Thakur’s all-round performance, along with contributions from Rahane, Iyer, and Mulani, played a crucial role in Mumbai’s victory.
Vidarbha’s inability to capitalise on opportunities, particularly in the first innings, proved costly, while Mumbai’s depth and experience in crucial situations were decisive factors.
