Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 25: In a stunning turn of events, Jammu and Kashmir defeated defending champions Mumbai by 5 wickets to qualify for the knockout stage of the ongoing Ranji Trophy from Elite Group-A. The match, held at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy Ground BKC in Mumbai, saw J&K chasing down a target of 205 runs, securing a historic win.
It wasn’t a mean achievement with Mumbai squad comprising of India Test and ODI skipper Rohit Sharma, former captain and 80 plus Test match veteran Ajinkya Rahane, ODI regular and IPL winning skipper Shreyas Iyer, star opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, seasoned all-rounder Shardul Thakur and off-spinner Tanush Kotian, who was a part of Border-Gavaskar squad.
Rohit’s return to Ranji Trophy after a decade yielded only 31 runs across two knocks and he looked very much out of form, shaky and not ready to grind it out for long hours.
This victory marked J&K’s second win over Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, the first being back in 2014. Mumbai, who set a target of 205, resumed their second innings with Shardul Thakur remaining unbeaten on 113 runs overnight. Thakur added just 6 more runs before being dismissed for 119 runs off 135 balls. Tanush Kotian contributed 62 runs as Mumbai scored 290 in their second innings, setting J&K a target of 205 runs.
In reply, Jammu and Kashmir made a strong start. The makeshift opener, Yawer Hassan (24), along with the dependable Shubham Khajuria (45), put together a solid opening partnership of 37 runs. The team continued to build momentum with Vivrant Sharma (38) and Shubham adding 75 runs for the second wicket, followed by Abdul Samad (24), who played a quick cameo to take J&K closer to the target. Contributions from Abid Mushtaq (30), Paras Dogra (15), and Kanhaiya Wadhawan (19) sealed the win for J&K, who reached 206/5 to secure the victory.
On the bowling front, Shams Mulani was the standout performer for Mumbai, claiming 4 wickets, while Mohit Avasthi took 1. Earlier, Mumbai’s batting had struggled, posting a mere 120 runs in the first innings against the exceptional bowling attack of J&K. Yudhvir Singh, Umar Nazir, and Aaqib Nabi were instrumental in dismantling Mumbai’s batting lineup. Yudhvir (4/31) and Umar (4/41) were exceptional with the ball, while Nabi took 2 wickets for 36 runs.
In the first innings, Mumbai’s Shardul Thakur top-scored with 51 runs, while Tanush Kotian added 26 runs. But it was the J&K fast bowlers who stole the show, leaving Mumbai in disarray.
Jammu and Kashmir’s win over Mumbai is a major achievement for the team, which has displayed exceptional talent, skill, and determination throughout the match. The Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) Sub-Committee, including Brig Anil Gupta, Mithun Manhas, and Sunil Sethi, congratulated the team for their remarkable achievement. They also praised the efforts of the players, the support staff, including Head Coach Ajay Sharma, and Captain Paras Dogra, for leading the team to this historic victory.
With this victory, Jammu and Kashmir has firmly cemented its place in the knockout stages of the Ranji Trophy, and the team now looks forward to further success in the prestigious competition.
Brief Scores
Mumbai: 120 and 290 (Shardul Thakur 119, Tanush Kotian 62, Auqib Nabi 4/80, Yudhvir Singh 3/63).
Jammu and Kashmir: 206 and (target 205) 207/5 (Shubham Khajuria 45, Vivrant Sharma 38, Abid Mushtaq 32 not out, Shams Mulani 4/54). J&K won by 5 wickets.
“What a brilliant achievement by the J&K Ranji Trophy team. To defeat the defending champions & that too in their own backyard is a memorable achievement. I send my congratulations to the players, the management & support staff. We are all very proud of you,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on X.
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