Jammu and Kashmir defeated star-studded Mumbai for the second time in their own home turf to surge to top of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group A table. The defending champions lost by five wickets minimise their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages.
J&K had defeated the Ranji heavyweights at Wankhede in December 2014 by four wickets and this time they repeated the feat at MCA’s Bandra Kurla Complex Ground on Saturday. Mumbai batting with batters like Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, star opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, ODI regular and IPL winning skipper Shreyas Iyer, and India white-ball cricketer Shivam Dube failed to put up a show. Mumbai also had former India skipper Ajinkya Rahane, former India all-rounder Shardul Thakur and Tanush Kotian who was part of India’s Border Gavaskar Trophy squad recently.
J&K now have 29 points from six games and lead group A with a match left against Baroda where they need to get just one point. Mumbai just have just a low percentage mathematical chance to qualify if they win the next game against Meghalaya and other results go their way.
Chasing 205, Jammu and Kashmir lost five wickets, three of them due to false shots but Abid Mushtaq (32*) and wicket-keeper batter Kanhaiya Wandhawan (19*) saw them home with an undefeated 48-run sixth wicket stand. For Mumbai left arm spinner Shams Mulani (4/54) was the lone warrior with four wickets. Mumbai introduced spin as early as sixth over but the ball didn’t turn as expected.
Earlier, Mumbai were all-out for 290 in their second innings adding just 16 runs on Saturday and losing remaining three wickets. Auqib Nabi finished with four wickets and Yudvir Singh three wickets. The pace trio of Jammu and Kashmir took 19 wickets in the match, while one Mohit Avasthi was run out. Nabi took six, Umar Nazir six and man-of-the match Yudhvir took seven wickets in the match.
J&K lost opener Yawer Hassan (24) on 37 who was caught behind off Avasthi. But Vivrant Sharma joined in-form Shubham Khajuria in the crease and played cautiously to take visitors to 85/1 in 24 overs at lunch. Mumbai spin trio of Mulani, Karsh Kothari and Tanush Kotian didn’t trouble them much. Post lunch they continued in the same vein and Khajuria got two short deliveries from Thakur which were dispatched for consecutive boundaries to bring J&K’s hundred.
The visitors were cruising when Khajuria had a rush of blood to step out unnecessarily to Mulani and get bowled. The important 75-run partnership with Sharma came to an end. Khajuria who was the man of the match in the famous win over Mumbai in 2014 with a hundred and half century made 45 in 89 balls in second innings after making half century in first innings at BKC.
Vivrant (38) also charged to hole out to Avasthi at long on, giving Mulani his second wicket. He made 38. Abdul Samad played some exquisite shots but also fell in similar fashion, charging down to Mulani and was stumped by Hardik Tamore for 24. J&K batters got good starts but none could push on, three giving wickets to Mulani. Skipper Paras Dogra hit a six but miscued later as Shardul took a stunner at extra cover. Mumbai got a sniff but Abid and Kanhaiya batted efficiently to chase down 205 coolly. Mushtaq found regular boundaries using his feet well. He finished with a six over midwicket off Kotian at the stroke of tea. J&K made 207/5 in 40 overs to wrap up the game in two days and two sessions.
Brief Score:
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).
A fan intrudes to meet Rohit Sharma at BKC | PTI
Rohit the crowd puller
Rohit Sharma was again the crowd puller. He was fielding at long on and long off and the crowd was lively. He made a good save at the boundary to win loud applause from the crowd. Crowd kept chanting Mumbai Che Raja Kaun Rohit Sharma.
A fan also breached security cover in 40th over to meet Rohit Sharma at mid-on before being whisked away by security.
Rohit's return to Ranji Trophy after a decade yielded only 31 runs across two knocks. He had scored 31 runs during BGT series also across five innings.
Rohit and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s availability for the next game for Mumbai against Meghalaya is unknown as the ODI series against England will be played from February 6.
