Mumbai, the domestic cricket superpower, is back, after an agonizing eight-year wait, to reclaim the Ranji Trophy, their 42nd in all, in an action-packed 500-minute drama on the final day of the finale against Vidarbha, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
Spurred by skipper Akshay Wadkar’s heroic century, backed up Harsh Dubey’s brave half-century and his seventh-wicket partnership with Wadkar in a marathon stand that kept the battle alive till the final day, the batsmen proved that they too have it in them to defy bowlers, in captivating style and spirit.
But Vidarbha’s dream of a first-ever became Mumbai’s unmatched 41st victory, thanks to their impeccable bowling that stopped roaring Vidarbha 169 runs short of a whopping 538-run target.
The Vidarbha skipper, with the holy waters of the Wankhede where the twin World Cup titles were won, flowing through those veins, played like a man possessed.
So did the Mumbai bowlers after two relatively easy games en route the final. Skipper Dhawal Kulkarni kept screaming his patriotism and passion through the stump microphones, and four wickets did occasionally make that decibel level a full-blown roar of a tigress too late in the day.
𝐂. 𝐇. 𝐀. 𝐌. 𝐏. 𝐈. 𝐎. 𝐍. 𝐒! 🏆
Congratulations and a round of applause for the 4⃣2⃣-time #RanjiTrophy winners – Mumbai 👏 👏#Final | #MUMvVID | @MumbaiCricAssoc | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/U5AuVayGzt
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) March 14, 2024
Vidarbha’s moment under the southern Mumbai dew hadn’t ended, even as Mumbai’s caught fire. Dhawal’s excitement would never have been appreciated as much by those Vidarbha players as at the historic Wankhede. Fittingly, with Dhawal Kulkarni ending his career across forms at the summit, after the T20, Ranji and Test appearances in India blue, here among the white. A bidai (farewell) that could’ve only raised questions of what kind of send-off rules of retirement – It has to be a ‘why’ than ‘what’! The weary Vidarbha found it in themselves again toward close of play but only three pats to take Mumbai’s gates down. Roll out the cataract of red carpets.
Scores:
Mumbai: 224 & 418 Vidarbha: 105 & 368 in 134.4 overs (Atharva Taide 32, Aman Mokhade31, Karun Nair 74, Aditya Sarwate 49, Akshay Wadkar 102; Tanush Kotian 4/95) Mumbai won by 169 runs.
