Synopsis
In a thrilling Ranji Trophy match, Vidarbha triumphed over Mumbai by 80 runs, thanks to Harsh Dubey's five-wicket haul. They will face Kerala in the final, marking their first appearance in this prestigious tournament.Key Takeaways
- Harsh Dubey's impressive five-wicket haul sealed Vidarbha's victory.
- Vidarbha qualifies for their second consecutive Ranji Trophy final.
- Kerala reaches their first Ranji Trophy final after defeating Gujarat.
- Mumbai's middle order struggled against Vidarbha's bowling attack.
- Kerala's first innings lead was crucial for their qualification.
New Delhi, Feb 21 (NationPress) Harsh Dubey, a left-arm spin bowling all-rounder, achieved a remarkable five-wicket haul, leading Vidarbha to secure their spot in the second consecutive Ranji Trophy final after triumphing over defending champions Mumbai by 80 runs in Nagpur.
Having finished as runners-up last year, Vidarbha will now face Kerala, who are making their debut in the final, starting February 26 in Nagpur. Earlier, Kerala clinched their first-ever Ranji Trophy final spot with a narrow victory over Gujarat in Ahmedabad.
Gujarat was just three runs away from taking the crucial first innings lead when Arzan Nagwaswalla attempted a lofted drive and was caught by Sachin Baby at first slip after the ball deflected off Salman Nizar's head at short leg.
Consequently, Kerala bowled out Gujarat for 455, securing a two-run first innings lead, which was pivotal for their advancement to the final. Previously, Kerala had taken a one-run lead against Jammu and Kashmir in the quarter-final held in Pune. The match concluded in a draw, with Kerala finishing at 114/4 in their second innings, where Jalaj Saxena remained unbeaten on 37.
In Nagpur, Vidarbha's victory appeared inevitable from the start of day five. Shivam Dube, Suryakumar Yadav, and Akash Anand all fell short, leaving Mumbai reeling at 124/6.
Shams Mulani (46) and Shardul Thakur (66) managed a resilient 103-run partnership for the seventh wicket, providing some resistance before Mulani was run out. Subsequently, pacer Yash Thakur bowled a delivery that kept low, dismissing Shardul. Following Tanush Kotian's dismissal, Mohit Awasthi and Royston Dias added 52 runs for the last wicket, until Awasthi was trapped lbw by Dubey, who is the leading wicket-taker in this Ranji Trophy season.
Brief Scores: Kerala 457 & 114/4 (Jalaj Saxena 37 not out, Rohan Kunnummal 32; Manan Hingrajia 2-22, Siddarth Desai 2-45) drew with Gujarat 455 (Priyank Panchal 148, Jaymeet Patel 79; Aditya Sarwate 4-111, Jalaj Saxena 4-149). Kerala qualified due to their first innings lead.
Vidarbha 383 and 292 defeated Mumbai 270 and 325 all out (Shardul Thakur 66; Harsh Dubey 5-127) by 80 runs.
