Heavyweights Mumbai stormed into the Ranji Trophy 2021-22 quarterfinals for the first time since 2017-18 season after an innings and 108-run win over Odisha in their Group D match on Sunday. (More Cricket News)
Having conceded a mammoth 248-run first innings lead, Odisha resumed the final day on 84/5 before the Mumbai spin duo of Shams Mulani (5/64) and Tanush Kotian (3/31) ran through their lower order.
Odisha were all out in 15 overs on the final day, even before the first drinks break was taken. With the bonus point victory, Mumbai ended up with 16 points, three points ahead of Saurashtra who failed to make the cut despite their big 211-run win over Goa in another match here.
Left-arm spinner Mulani ended the league phase on top of the bowling chart, with 29 wickets from three matches. The 24-year-old began the proceedings on the final day and gave the breakthrough in the seventh over of the day by dismissing Debasish Samantray for 22.
In his next over, Mulani completed his eighth five-wicket haul in his first class career when he took the wicket of Rajesh Mohanty (6). Kotian then returned to action, replacing pacer Siddharth Raut, as he dismissed the last three Odisha batters inside two overs.
Abhishek Raut waged a lone battle for Odisha with a 59 and after his dismissal by Kotian in the 40th over, they lost their last two wickets in three balls. Sarfaraz Khan's whirlwind 165 from 181 balls formed the cornerstone of Mumbai's victory as they declared their first innings for a mammoth 532/9 in reply to Odisha's 284.
Brief Scores:
Odisha 284 and 140 (Abhishek Raut 59; Shams Mulani 5/64, Tanush Kotian 3/31, Siddharth Raut 2/44) lost to Mumbai 532/9 decl by an innings and 108 runs.
Saurashtra 347 and 305/3 decl (Harvik Desai 77, Cheteshwar Pujara 64 not out, Snell Patel 61, Sheldon Jackson 53 not out) beat Goa 311 and 130 (Suyash Prabhudessai 39, Amogh Desai 26; Chetan Sakariya 6/38, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja 4/53) by 211 runs.
