In a thrilling final match at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai emerged victorious over Vidarbha to claim their 42nd Ranji Trophy title, ending an eight-year wait for the prestigious championship. Mumbai’s victory was highlighted by stellar performances from Tanush Kotian and Tushar Deshpande, who broke Vidarbha’s resistance on the fifth afternoon.
Mumbai, batting first, posted a total of 224 in their first innings, with Shardul Thakur leading the way with 75 runs. Vidarbha’s Yash Thakur and Harsh Dubey both claimed three wickets each. In reply, Vidarbha faltered, managing only 105 runs in their first innings, with Kotian and Dhawal Kulkarni both picking up three wickets each.
In their second innings, Mumbai put up a challenging total of 418, with Musheer’s brilliant 136 and Iyer’s 95 setting the tone. Dubey continued his good form, taking five wickets for Vidarbha. Chasing an improbable target of 538, Vidarbha fought hard, with captain Akshay Wadkar and Harsh Dubey playing out a wicket-less morning session.
However, Mumbai’s bowlers, led by Kotian and Deshpande, proved too strong for Vidarbha, eventually dismissing them for 368. Wadkar’s valiant 102 and Nair’s 74 were not enough to prevent Mumbai from securing a 169-run victory. The win was sealed by Kulkarni, who bowled Umesh Yadav to clinch victory in his final game for Mumbai.
Kotian, who finished as the player of the tournament, and Deshpande were instrumental in Mumbai’s success. Despite Shreyas Iyer‘s absence from the field due to a back complaint, Mumbai showed their dominance in domestic cricket.
The victory marked a fitting end to Kulkarni’s illustrious domestic career, as he bid farewell to Mumbai cricket with a memorable performance. With young talents like Deshpande and Mohit Avasthi stepping up, Mumbai’s future looks promising in the hands of their emerging bowlers.
Mumbai’s win reaffirms their status as one of the powerhouses in Indian domestic cricket, and they will look to build on this success in future seasons.
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