Kotian makes hundred as Mumbai seal 15th Irani Cup after 27 years
Lucknow, Oct 5: Tanush Kotian’s gritty unbeaten hundred laced Mumbai’s 15th Irani Cup victory which was sealed by virtue of their first innings lead over Rest Of India on the fifth and final day here on Saturday.
Mumbai’s last Irani Cup victory came 27 years ago during the 1997-98 season and since then the domestic powerhouse appeared in eight more finals without success and the last of which was in the 2015-16 season.
Mumbai, who started the final day from overnight 153 for six, declared their second innings at 329 for eight for an overall lead of 450 runs.
Kotian, who scored 64 in the first innings and resumed his innings on 20, remained not out on 114 off 150 balls, hitting 10 fours and a six.
Knowing the futility of chasing 451 in little over a session, the Rest of India skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad shook hands with his opposite number Ajinkya Rahane, signalling the draw and victory for Mumbai, the defending Ranji Trophy champions, at the same time.
Kotian, who showed remarkable maturity to steer Mumbai innings after the early departure of Sarfaraz Khan (17) and Shardul Thakur (2), received good support from No. 10 Mohit Avasthi.
Mumbai were 171 for seven at that stage.
Avasthi remained unbeaten on 51 off 93 balls, striking four fours and a six, and helped Kotian to add valuable 158 runs for the ninth wicket.
Off-spinner Saransh Jain took six wickets (6/121) but his efforts could only delay the inevitable.
Mumbai skipper Rahane was understandably delighted. “Winning the trophy after 27 years feel amazing. It was a red-soil wicket. I will like to pick Tanush Kotian for his performances in the previous season and this match.
“The Ranji Trophy and Irani Cup belong to everyone – from the maidan cricketers to everyone playing cricket in Mumbai.”
Sarfaraz was adjudged player of the match for his double hundred in Mumbai’s first innings.
“I follow the process well and came into the tournament with practice. You build up experience by playing in different grounds. You get a knowledge on how to play on different pitches.
“I have a lot to learn by being around the Test team and can improve every facet of my game,” said Sarfaraz.
Mumbai Cricket Association president Ajinkya Nayak lauded the team for the win.
“Congratulations to the Mumbai Team for clinching the Irani Cup! Once again, Mumbai demonstrated an outstanding example of grit and determination,” said Nayak.
Brief scores:
Mumbai: 537 all out and 329/8 declared in 78 overs (Tanush Kotian 114 not out, Mohit Avasthi 51 not out, Prithvi Shaw 76; Saransh Jain 6/121) drew
Rest of India: 416 all out.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Mohsin's fifer helps LSG restrict KKR to 155/7 despite Rinku's 83
Lucknow (PTI): Lucknow Super Giants pacer Mohsin Khan added another sordid chapter to Kolkata Knight Riders' batting woes, taking five wickets to restrict the three-time champions to a modest 155 for seven in their IPL match here on Sunday.
Mohsin’s 5 for 23, a personal best for the left-arm pacer in this format, tore apart an already struggling KKR batting unit, as he snaffled the cream wickets of Ajinkya Rahane, Tim Seifert, Cameron Green, Rovman Powell and Anukul Roy.
Rinku Singh (83 not out, 51 balls) made a well-paced fifty and punished Mohammed Shami in the 19th over for 6, 4, 4 and the smoked four sixes in a row against spinner Digvesh Rathi as KKR made 43 runs in the last two overs to go past the 150-run mark.
But his fifty remained a lone act, as Mohsin firmly stood in the limelight.
His bowling ethos were rooted in simple tactics — bang the ball into the black soil pitch to gain bounce or use cutters at various pace to keep the batters guessing.
Mohsin, who started the night with a wicket maiden, showed his variety across two dismissals.
He followed Rahane with a fuller ball as the batter tried to go over the covers, but the ball’s trajectory forced the KKR skipper to just slice the ball up for a simple catch for Aiden Markram.
The 27-year-old stayed calm when Green, who looked comfortable out there while smashing George Linde for two successive sixes, slammed him for a huge maximum.
Two balls later, Mohsin dug one short, challenging Green (34) to go for the pull and the Australian all-rounder took the bait.
The into-the-body angle worked again as Green could only sky the ball to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
Green’s ouster also ended a fifth wicket alliance worth 42 with Rinku Singh.
Bizarre dismissal of Raghuvanshi
=====================
If the existing turmoil was not enough, KKR had to bear the dejection of seeing Angkrish Raghuvanshi getting dismissed obstructing the field.
On the final ball of the fifth over from Prince Yadav, Raghuvanshi nudged one towards mid-on and set off for a single, only to be rejected by Green.
Raghuvanshi put in a dive to save himself but he came in the line of the throw from Shami.
Subsequently, third umpire Rohit Pandit accepted LSG’s appeal and decided that the batter’s turning radius was more than required, eventually resulting in the batter’s dismissal in a rare manner.
