By Mumbai Clinches 42nd Ranji Title Despite Valiant Resistance from Vidarbha
Mumbai, known for their dominance in Ranji Trophy cricket, reclaimed the silverware after eight seasons with a commanding 169-run victory over Vidarbha in the final at the Wankhede Stadium. Despite Vidarbha’s skipper Akshay Wadkar’s century (102) and a resilient 130-run partnership with Harsh Dubey (65), Mumbai’s victory was never in doubt.
On the final day, Wadkar and Dubey frustrated Mumbai’s bowlers, holding fort till lunch. However, Tanush Kotian’s breakthrough dismissed Wadkar, triggering a collapse. Tushar Deshpande and Kotian struck again, with Dhawal Kulkarni wrapping up the innings to secure Mumbai’s victory.
In the first innings, Mumbai’s lower order, led by Shardul Thakur (75), rescued them from a collapse, ensuring a respectable total. Thakur then impressed with the ball, while Kulkarni and spinners Kotian and Shams Mulani dismantled Vidarbha’s batting lineup, bowling them out cheaply.
In the second innings, Musheer Khan’s century (136) and contributions from Shreyas Iyer (95) and Ajinkya Rahane (73) helped Mumbai set a daunting target of 538. Despite a spirited partnership from Wadkar and Dubey, Vidarbha fell short as Mumbai’s big-game mentality and strong performances in critical moments secured them the title.
Brief Scores: Mumbai 224 and 418 (Musheer Khan 136, Shreyas Iyer 95; Harsh Dubey 5-144) beat Vidarbha 105 and 368 (Akshay Wadkar 102, Harsh Dubey 65; Tanush Kotian 4-95) by 169 runs
