Mumbai cricketers celebrated their Irani Cup triumph in grand style on Monday. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) organized a felicitation ceremony to honour the team for bringing home the Irani Cup after a 27-year gap.
A video surfaced online showing Mumbai skipper Ajinkya Rahane being playfully made to dance by his teammates to the band music arranged for the occasion. Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan took hold of their captain's hands, encouraging him to join in, even as Rahane tried to excuse himself and watch his teammates dance in classic Mumbai style.
In addition to the BCCI's prize money of ₹50 lakh, the Mumbai Cricket Association awarded the team ₹1 crore for their historic Irani Cup victory.
Rahane emphasized the importance of allowing players the freedom to express themselves and contribute to the team. “As a captain, it is crucial to give them freedom and confidence, because every player, in their own capacity, is a match-winner. Each player has a responsibility. Those on the sidelines can offer insights that a captain on the field might not consider.”
Mumbai vs Rest Of India Irani Cup highlights
After losing the toss, Mumbai was invited to bat first. The opening half hour proved challenging for the Ranji champions, who found themselves at 37 for 3. However, a solid partnership between Shreyas Iyer and Captain Rahane steadied the innings. Following Iyer's dismissal, young batting sensation Sarfaraz Khan came to the crease and delivered a stunning double century, propelling Mumbai to a total of 537 all out.
When the Rest of India came to bat, Abhimanyu Easwaran's valiant knock of 191 wasn’t enough to surpass Mumbai's score. He received support from Dhruv Jurel, who contributed 93 runs, but apart from these two, no other batsman managed to make a significant impact as the team was bowled out for 416.
After securing the first innings lead, Mumbai scored 329 for 8 in their second innings. Opener Prithvi Shaw made a commendable 76 runs, while lower-order batter and spinner Tanush Kotian notched up a fine century. The match ended in a draw on the final day of this exciting contest.
