Srinagar, Jan 25 (KNO): Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) clinched a historic Ranji Trophy victory over Mumbai at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy, BKC, ending a decade-long drought, by successfully chasing a target of 205 runs with five wickets in hand on Day 3.
The J&K’s top order set the foundation for the chase, with contributions from Shubham Khajuria (45), Yawer Hassan (24), and Vivrant Sharma (34). The match concluded with Abid Mushtaq and wicketkeeper-batter Kanhaiya Wadhawan sealing the victory. This win is particularly significant as J&K’s last victory against Mumbai occurred in 2014 at Wankhede Stadium.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Mumbai's second innings showcased a strong performance by Shardul Thakur, who scored a crucial 119 runs, supported by Tanush Kotian’s 62. However, J&K pacers Umar Nazir and Yudhvir Singh dominated the field, picking four wickets each and restricting Mumbai to a total of 290, which set a modest target for the chase.
Rohit Sharma, returning to the Ranji Trophy after nearly a decade, struggled to make an impact, scoring only 3 and 28 in his two innings. Mumbai's batting lineup, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane, and Shreyas Iyer, also faltered. Despite a five-wicket haul by Mohit Avasthi and a four-wicket performance by Shams Mulani in the final innings, Mumbai could not defend their total.
The match underlined key performances, including Thakur’s second First-Class century and the efforts of J&K’s bowlers and top-order batters.
Harsha Bhogle, an Indian cricket commentator and journalist in a post on X said, "A lot of the results in domestic cricket carry little significance given the disparity in standards. But when everyone plays, and you get a result like J&K beating Mumbai, it carries so much more weight. I would love to see a Ranji Trophy where standards are equalised. So tough to do that with 38 teams. We need fewer".
Taking to X, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan wrote, “What a great win J&K cricket vs champion Mumbai side. It always makes me smile to see their growth on the cricket field.”
Meanwhile, several former cricketers and fans lauded J&K's remarkable performance. The team received accolades for their all-round effort, with many noting the significance of the win after a decade.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah congratulated the team for this memorable achievement. “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,” Omar wrote on X.
People's Conference (PC) president and MLA Handwara, Sajad Lone also took to X: "Unbelievable but true. Our cricket team has defeated Mumbai. Congratulations to the team. What an achievement. I was studying at the Burn Hall School and we would at times go to watch the Ranji matches, at the cricket stadium. All we have seen from childhood till now is defeat. Defeat was guaranteed. No surprise. The only suspense used to be whether we would lose by an innings or not."—(KNO)