Mumbai defeated Vidarbha by 169 runs in the final of the Ranji Trophy on Thursday, March 14, at the Wankhede Stadium. The victory was Mumbai's 42nd Ranji Trophy title, a record for the most titles by any team.
The match was also the last for Mumbai bowler Dhawal Kulkarni, who retired after the game. The 36-year-old played for Mumbai for 16 years, taking 416 wickets in 127 first-class matches.
In a video shared by the BCCI on social media, Mumbai team players congratulated Kulkarni on his retirement.
Watch Video Here:
"Dhawal Kulkarni, we will miss you. You were an integral part of the team. Best of luck for your second innings," Shreyas Iyer said.
"We will miss you a lot in the dressing room. I had a lot of fun playing with you for 12 years. I learned a lot from you. Best of luck for the future. Enjoy your time with your family," Shardul Thakur said.
"Thank you for everything you have done for the Mumbai team, India, and the IPL. "I can only say all the best for your second innings," Prithvi Shaw said.
"There will never be another Kulkarni like you in Mumbai cricket (Khup Kulkarni yenar Mumbai cricket madhe, pan tumchya sarkha Kulkarni yenar nahi)," said Shams Mulani. "All the best, Dhawal Kulkarni. Wishing you many more successes," he added.
MUM vs VID Highlights
As for the final, despite Vidarbha's commendable fight, chasing a daunting 538-run target, Mumbai's spinners proved decisive, bundling out the opponents for 368.
Youngster Musheer Khan emerged as the star performer for Mumbai, smashing a brilliant second-innings century of 136 runs, supported by Shreyas Iyer's crucial 95. This set up Mumbai's formidable second innings total of 418, establishing a mammoth target for Vidarbha.
Vidarbha displayed resilience with skipper Akshay Wadkar's century and contributions from Karun Nair and Harsh Dubey. However, spinner Tanush Kotian's dismissal of Wadkar sealed the victory for Mumbai, with Kotian finishing the final with a match haul of seven wickets.
Shardul Thakur's crucial knock of 75 in the first innings and Musheer Khan's pivotal wickets further bolstered Mumbai's dominance in the final. This triumph marks Mumbai's first title victory in eight years, adding another chapter to their storied history in Indian domestic cricket.
Ranji Trophy 2024 Final: Brief Scores
Mumbai 1st Innings | 224/10 (Shardul Thakur 75, Prithvi Shaw 46; Harsh Dubey 3/62, Yash Thakur 3/54) |
Vidarbha 1st Innings | 105/10 (Yash Rathod 27, Atharva Taide 23; Tanush Kotian 3/7, Dhawal Kulkarni 3/15) |
Mumbai 2nd Innings | 418/10 (Musheer Khan 136, Shreyas Iyer 95; Harsh Dubey 5/144, Yash Thakur 3/79) |
Vidarbha 2nd Innings | 368/10 (Akshay Wadkar 102, Harsh Dubey 65; Tanush Kotian 4/95, Musheer Khan 2/48) |
Read Also | "I didn't expect...": Kulkarni's heartwarming reaction on Mumbai skipper Rahane's gesture
MUM vs VID: Playing XIs
Mumbai | Vidarbha |
Prithvi Shaw | Atharva Taide |
Bhupen Lalwani | Dhruv Shorey |
Musheer Khan | Aman Mokhade |
Ajinkya Rahane (c) | Karun Nair |
Shreyas Iyer | Yash Rathod |
Hardik Tamore (wk) | Akshay Wadkar (c & wk) |
Shams Mulani | Aditya Sarwate |
Shardul Thakur | Umesh Yadav |
Tanush Kotian | Harsh Dubey |
Tushar Deshpande | Yash Thakur |
Dhawal Kulkarni | Aditya Thakare |
