Xtra Time Web Desk: 41-time champions Mumbai entered the final of Ranji Trophy after five years as their semi-final clash against UP ended in draw on Saturday. They entered the final courtesy of their first-innings lead against UP in Bengaluru. In the other semi final Madhya Pradesh defeated Bengal by 174 runs to seal a place in the final after 21 years. The final between the two sides will be played at the Chinnaswamy stadium starting June 22.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (181) and Arman Jaffer (127) were the performers for Mumbai. Jaiswal has slammed a hundred in the first innings as well. This was Jaiswal’s third century as the two stitched a 286-run partnership. The left hander smashed 23 hits to the fence and one massive six in his 372-ball innings, while Jaffer smashed 15 fours and two sixes in his 259-ball knock.
The first session of Day 5 was abandoned due to a wet outfield. Resuming the day at 449/4 with Sams Mulani and Sarfaraz Khan on crease, Mumbai added another 80 runs. Both Sarfaraz and Mulani slammed half-centuries to remain unbeaten as the two teams decided to shake hands and end the dull affair at Just Cricket Academy grounds in Bengaluru.
In the other semi-final Madhya Pradesh clinched a thumping 174-run win to book their place in the Ranji Trophy finals on Saturday. It marks MP’s return to the summit clash after the 1998-99 season.
Kumar Kartikeya starred with the ball once again, running through the Bengal batting order with another five-wicket haul. The left-arm spinner, who had recently debuted for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, had incidentally picked up a six-wicket haul in the quarterfinals against Punjab to seal MP’s win.
Batting first MP posted 341 runs, thanks to a brilliant hundred from Himanshu Mantri (165) while Akshat Raghuvanshi chipped in with a fine 63. Bengal were in deep trouble at 54/5, but centuries from Shahbaz Ahmed and Manoj Tiwary resurrected the innings. MP got a crucial 68-run lead which proved to be a pivotal turning point in the game.
In the second innings Rajat Patidar and Aditya Shrivastava scored fifties as MP set a 350-run target for Bengal, but barring captain Abhimanyu Easwaran, none of the batters turned up Kartikeya ripped them to shreds to seal a 174-run win.