2024-03-13 10:57:12
Mumbai: Apart from the century of young Mushir Khan (136), half-centuries of Shreyas Iyer (95) and captain Ajinkya Rahane (73), Mumbai kept its upper hand by giving Vidarbha a huge target of 538 runs on Tuesday, the third day of the Ranji Trophy final. By the end of the day’s play, Vidarbha had scored 10 runs without losing any wicket. Dhruv Shori is playing with seven runs while Atharva Taide is playing with three runs. The team has to score 528 more runs to win. Mumbai has strengthened its claim of winning its 42nd Ranji title by setting a target of 538 runs. Mumbai’s batsmen had adopted a cautious attitude on the second day, but on Tuesday their batsmen played more freely and the team scored 418 runs in the second innings.
In response to Mumbai’s 224 runs in the first innings, Vidarbha team could score only 105 runs in the first innings and fell behind by 119 runs. Mumbai started the day at 141 runs for two wickets. Rahane hit a four while playing ahead of 58 runs but was caught by wicketkeeper Akshay Wadkar on the ball of left arm spinner Harsh Dubey (five wickets for 144 runs). Facing 143 balls, he hit five fours and one six.
Iyer adopted an aggressive attitude from the beginning. He started with a six off fast bowler Aditya Thackeray and hit 10 fours and three sixes in his 111-ball innings. He also made a partnership of 168 runs in 256 balls for the fourth wicket with Musheer. Iyer, however, missed the century by just five runs when he was caught by Aman Mokhade at log on while trying to play a big shot off Aditya Thackeray (1 for 39).
Musheer also looked in good form during his partnership with Iyer. The 18-year-old batsman batted with caution and easily scored one and two runs. He did not hesitate to teach a lesson to the bad ball. Musheer, who played unbeaten 203 and 55 runs in the Ranji knockout matches this year, once again strengthened Mumbai’s middle order and hit 10 fours while facing 326 balls in an innings of 474 minutes. Like the first innings, Dubey ended Musheer’s innings by LBW in the second innings too. Mumbai’s lower order batsmen could not last long, but Shams Mulani took the team’s lead beyond 500 runs by playing an unbeaten inning of 50 runs with the help of six fours in 85 balls.