Mumbai, Jan 25
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on Saturday defeated the 41-time Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai by five wickets at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy in BKC.
This was J&K's second win in Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, repeating their feat of 2014-15 when they had taken down the domestic heavyweights with a four-wicket win by chasing down 237 at Wankhede Stadium.
Despite Shardul Thakur's valiant century in Mumbai's second innings, J&K displayed remarkable resilience to chase down the 205-run target on Day 3, securing the top position in Elite Group A.
Mumbai's second innings began under pressure after conceding an 86-run lead to J&K in the first innings. Skipper Rohit Sharma, making his Ranji Trophy comeback after over nine years, looked aggressive and struck a couple of boundaries and three sixes in his 35-ball 28. However, Yudhvir Singh dismissed him, and Mumbai's batting faltered yet again.
Yashasvi Jaiswal contributed a steady 26 runs, but the middle order, including Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, and Shivam Dube, failed to leave an impact. Mumbai found themselves reeling at 101 for 7, with pacers Umar Nazir and Yudhvir Singh wreaking havoc.
It was then that Shardul Thakur stepped up. Known for his fighting spirit, Thakur delivered a counterattacking knock, scoring a spectacular 119 off 135 balls, laced with 18 fours. He was ably supported by Tanush Kotian, who played a gritty 62-run knock from 136 balls. Together, they added crucial runs to push Mumbai's total to 290, setting J&K a challenging 205-run target.
J&K's chase was built on contributions from their top order. Opener Shubham Khajuria, who has been a consistent performer for J&K, laid a solid foundation with his 45-run knock. Yawer Hassan (24) and Vivrant Sharma (34) supported him to stabilise the innings.
However, it was Abid Mushtaq and wicketkeeper-batter Kanhaiya Wadhawan who guided J&K home. Mushtaq played a quickfire knock of 32 and Wadhawan ensured the chase was completed without further hiccups. J&K eventually reached the target with five wickets in hand, capping off a historic win.
Earlier in the match, Mumbai's batting faltered in the first innings, folding for just 120 runs. Thakur's half-century was the lone highlight as J&K pacers Umar Nazir and Yudhvir Singh dismantled the lineup with four wickets each.
In response, J&K scored 206, taking an 86-run lead. Opener Shubham Khajuria led the charge with a composed half-century while Abid Mushtaq's 44 off just 37 balls provided the team with a quick boost. Mumbai's Mohit Avasthi picked up a five-wicket haul but couldn't stop J&K from building a crucial first-innings advantage.
- IANS