RANJI TROPHY ROUND-UP
Follow UsMadhya Pradesh create history as they brush past Bengal in the first semi-final at Alur to qualify for their first Ranji Trophy final appearance in 23 years. They will take on 41-rime champions Mumbai, who have downed Uttar Pradesh by virtue of a first-innings lead to book their place in the summit clash. This will be Mumbai's first Ranji Trophy final appearance since 2017. As far as MP are concerned, they are looking to win their first title since 1953.
Chasing 350 to win, Bengal started the final day on 96 for 4 with Abhimanyu Easwaran batting on 52 and Anustup Majumdar supporting him on 8. With MP having already secured a first-innings lead, the only way Bengal could have qualified was by knocking over the remaining runs.
However, Easwaran's wicket for 78 triggered a collapse and Bengal were able to add just 40 more runs after that and eventually succumbed to a 174-run loss.
Left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya, who had a fruitful spell with Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, was the pick of the bowlers in the second innings, finishing with 5 for 67 to go with his three wickets in the first innings.
Opting to bat first, wicketkeeper-batter Himanshu Mantri scored a stroke-filled 165, which was followed by useful contributions from Akshat Raghuvanshi (65) and Puneet Datey (33) down the order to get MP to 341.
Despite centuries from Manoj Tiwary (102) and Shahbaz Ahmed (116), Bengal fell short of MP's total by 68 runs.
Shahbaz then starred with the ball with 5 for 79, to play a huge role in bowling triggering a collapse that saw MP lose their last six wickets for just 65 runs. However, Bengal were set a steep target and despite having an outside chance on the final day, they fell well short in the end.
Brief scores:
Madhya Pradesh 341 (Himanshu Mantri 165, Akshat Raghuvanshi 63; Mukesh Kumar 4 for 66) & 281 (Aditya Shrivastava 82, Rajat Patidar 79; Shahbaz Ahmed 5 for 79) beat Bengal 273 (Manoj Tiwary 102, Shahbaz Ahmed 116; Puneet Datey 3 for 48) & 175 (Abhimanyu Easwaran 78, Shahbaz Ahmed 22*; Kumar Kartikeya 5 for 67) by 174 runs.
Player of the match: Himanshu Mantri
Yashasvi's twin tons down UP
Mumbai opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal followed up his brilliant hundred with yet another patient ton in the second innings. He also scored a ton in the second innings of the quarter-final clash against Uttarakhand.
In the second innings against UP, Jaiswal got off the mark only off the 54th delivery he faced. He went on to score 181 off 372 deliveries with 23 fours and a six punctuating his innings. By the time he scored his first run Prithvi Shaw was already dismissed for 64 and Armaan Jaffer (127), had scored five.
Jaffer and Jaiswal put on 286 for the second wicket to further put Mumbai in command after they had bowled out UP for just 180, securing a massive 213-run lead.
After Jaiswal and Jaffer Sarfaraz Khan (59*) continued his excellent run in the tournament with yet another fifty, while Shams Mulani (51*) gave him company as the duo put on an unbeaten 113-run stand for the fifth wicket.
With 803 runs at 133.83, including three tons and two fifties from seven innings, Sarfaraz is on top of the run-getters tree this season, 180 runs clear of the second-placed Chetan Bist of Nagaland.
Mumbai and MP will play the Ranji Trophy final at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, starting June 22.
Brief scores:
Mumbai 393 (Hardik Tamore 115, Yashasvi Jaiswal 100; Karan Sharma 4 for 46) & 533 for 4 decl. (Yashasvi Jaiswal 181, Armaan Jaffer 127; Prince Yadav 2 for 92) drew with Uttar Pradesh 180 (Shivam Mavi 48, Madhav Kaushik 38; Tushar Deshpande 3 for 34)
Mumbai progress to the final on basis of the first-innings lead.
Player of the match: Yashasvi Jaiswal
