Mumbai clinched the national one-day title after a gap of 11 years with a four-wicket victory over Delhi at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday.
Set 178 to lift the Vijay Hazare Trophy after some fine work from its seamers, Mumbai recovered from a shaky start to cruise home in 35 overs. Aditya Tare made 71 (89b), as he and Siddhesh Lad added 105 runs for the fifth wicket.
It was a partnership that Mumbai desperately needed after having been jolted by Navdeep Saini. On a pitch with some life in it, the medium-pacer produced a fine spell of bowling with the new ball, accounting for three of the top four. Prithvi Shaw was Saini's first victim, bowled playing inside the line. Ajinkya Rahane was trapped lbw by a ball that nipped back in sharply before Suryakumar Yadav was caught at second slip. Kulwant Khejroliya then claimed Shreyas Iyer, who had been dropped minutes earlier, to reduce Mumbai to 40 for four.
As it happened: Mumbai beats Delhi for third Vijay Hazare title
Lad, though, was let off on nought; he hammered Saini straight to the point fielder but it emerged that the bowler had overstepped. It was a reprieve that would prove costly for Delhi. Lad settled down, and in the company of Tare soon had the scoreboard ticking over.
The third umpire, Ulhas Gandhe, was a busy man in the afternoon. He had to intervene on a few occasions, twice in the case of Tare alone. Neither decision was a simple one to make. Tare was on 30 when he edged Subodh Bhati behind; Gandhe ruled that the catch had not been taken cleanly by Unmukt Chand.
Not long after, Bhati was convinced he had run Tare out at the non-striker's end in his follow-through; the TV umpire could not see evidence of any deflection off the bowler's foot. Tare eventually fell to Manan Sharma, but by then he had done his job.
Top-order woes
Earlier, Mumbai elected to field having won the toss and there was reward for its bowlers at once. Gautam Gambhir was dismissed for 1, caught at third man slashing at a wide delivery from Tushar Deshpande. Unmukt Chand was held at point for 13, also attacking a wide ball from Dhawal Kulkarni. When Manan Sharma edged Deshpande behind, Delhi was 21 for three, its top-order complicit in its own demise.
Nitish Rana top-edged a pull and departed while Dhruv Shorey, who had batted with restraint for his 31, was stumped by a quick-thinking Tare. Pawan Negi and Himmat Singh then added 40 runs for the sixth wicket, a stand that was unfortunately snapped by an injury. Negi had just begun counter-attacking when he was struck on the right hand by a rising delivery from Deshpande. It forced him to retire hurt on 21; he would not return, having suffered a hairline fracture. Himmat essayed a couple of big hits but Delhi could only manage 177.
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