NEW DELHI: Skipper Ajinkya Rahane‘s determined century and Royston Dias‘ career-best five-wicket haul powered defending champions Mumbai to a remarkable 152-run victory over Haryana, securing a spot in the Ranji Trophy semifinals in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Resuming on 88, Rahane wasted little time in the morning, reaching his 41st first-class century with a composed 108 off 180 balls, laced with 13 boundaries. His crucial knock guided Mumbai to 339 in their second innings, setting Haryana a daunting target of 354.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
In response, Haryana collapsed under the pressure of left-arm pacer Dias (5/39) and Shardul Thakur (3/26), folding for 201 in 57.3 overs. The dominant bowling display saw Thakur finish with a match haul of nine wickets, completing Mumbai’s comeback after being in trouble at 65/5 in the first innings.
Rahane’s Grit and Mumbai’s Collapse
Rahane got off to a confident start, striking elegant boundaries off Sumit Kumar and Anshul Kamboj to move to 99 before nudging a single to reach the milestone off 160 balls. The Mumbai veteran removed his helmet, looked skyward, and soaked in the emotional moment—it was his first century of the season.
However, Mumbai faltered soon after his dismissal. Resuming from 278/4, the team lost its final six wickets for just 61 runs, with overnight batter Shivam Dube (44) falling two runs short of a half-century. Anuj Thakral (4/70) spearheaded Haryana’s bowling effort, while Kamboj, Sumit, and Jayant Yadav chipped in with two wickets each.
Haryana’s pursuit never gained momentum, barring a fighting sixth-wicket partnership of 90 runs between Lakshay Dalal (64 off 130) and Sumit Kumar (62 off 96). The duo briefly frustrated Mumbai, with Sumit counterattacking by stepping out to Shams Mulani to nullify spin.
Sensing the need for a breakthrough, Rahane introduced part-time medium pacer Dube, but Mumbai’s fielding lapses allowed easy singles. Despite the resistance, Mumbai held the upper hand with a steep target.
Sumit brought up his seventh first-class fifty off 72 balls, but Rahane’s sharp captaincy turned the tide. Off-spinner Tanush Kotian provided the breakthrough in his very first over — Lakshay, attempting to drag a delivery from outside off, gloved it faintly to the keeper. While the on-field umpire was unmoved, Rahane confidently called for DRS, which confirmed the edge.
Dias then struck again, dismissing Sumit to end Haryana’s hopes. In the final hour, Mumbai ran through the tail, with Dias finishing with a match-winning 5/39—his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
Thakur, who had claimed six wickets in the first innings, set the tone early in the chase. Steaming in from the High Court End, he extracted movement on a flat pitch, delivering a relentless 10-over spell across two sessions, finishing with figures of 10-3-26-3.
Dias provided excellent support from the Pavilion End, starting with a disciplined spell of 6-2-12-2 before wrapping up the innings with his best career figures.
In the end, Haryana’s final five wickets tumbled in the extended play session, sealing a commanding win for Mumbai and ensuring their march into the Ranji Trophy semifinals.
Brief Scores
Mumbai 315 and 339 in 85.3 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 108, Suryakumar Yadav 70, Shivam Dube 48). Haryana 201; 57.3 overs (Lakshay Dalal 64, Sumit Kumar 62; Royston Dias 5/39, Shardul Thakur 3/26). Mumbai won by 152 runs.
