Musheer Khan’s marathon knock – his second hundred in the Ranji Trophy knockouts this season – and his contrasting partnerships with senior pros Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer meant despite Harsh Dubey’s maiden five-wicket haul in First Class cricket, Mumbai sets Vidarbha a gargantuan target of 538 to win the Ranji final.
Musheer effortlessly converted his three-hour overnight grind into a patient innings that lasted six minutes shy of eight hours. Even after he perished on the cusp of tea, Shams Mulani’s fifty meant Mumbai put on 418 before being bowled out 16 minutes into the extended half hour.
The Vidarbha openers scored 10 runs in two overs, meaning a distant dream of lifting the third Ranji title is still 528 runs away.
The highlight of the day was the entertaining association between a patient Musheer (136, 326b, 10x4) and an on-song Shreyas Iyer (95, 11b, 10x4, 3x6) that virtually put an end to Vidarbha’s hope of coming back into the game with the bal
ALSO READ | IPL 2024: Rishabh Pant declared fit to play as wicketkeeper-batter by BCCI
With Mumbai starting the day with an advantage of 260 runs, Vidarbha had to strike early.
But captain Rahane (73, 143b, 5x4, 1x6) was freeflowing while Musheer was batting without any trouble. Forty-one minutes into the day’s play, Dubey beat Rahane with one that turned slightly to kiss the outside edge en route Akshay Wadkar’s gloves. That brought Shreyas in and ever since he lofted Aditya Thakare over long-off for a six, Shreyas was into his elements.
He even negotiated the short-ball ploy employed by Yash Thakur and Umesh Yadav, and tore the spinners apart.
While Shreyas was aggressive, Musheer was defiant – using all his tactics to unsettle bowlers. Musheer blocked any movement – turn for spinners and swing, if any, for pacers – by walking down the pitch and focusing on strike rotation.
Shreyas was starting to feel the pain in his 80s and on 95, committed harakiri to throw away his wicket, holing out Thakare at long-off. But Musheer – who had completed his second hundred and got a reprieve on 114 – continued his sedate knock to bat Vidarbha out of the game.
When Musheer (caught in the slips off the last ball before tea) and Shardul Thakur (bowled with one that turned from middle-and leg into the off-stump off the first ball) were dismissed by Dubey off successive balls, Mumbai was 357 for seven.
Mumbai’s batter Shams Mulani celebrates his half century during the third day of the Ranji Trophy final cricket match between Mumbai and Vidarbha | Photo Credit: PTI
Mulani then ensured he raised his 16th First Class fifty and Mumbai crossed the 400-run mark.
Comments
SHARE