VID VS MUM FINAL

Right then, that is it from this amazing final, and the Ranji Trophy 2023/24 season. The coveted trophy has been handed to the captain of Mumbai, Ajinkya Rahane who joins his whole team and all of them lift it together. They pose together for a few pictures in front of the 'Champions' board. Rahane leads them on a victory lap as they acknowledge the home crowd and this will be a moment that every member of the team will never forget. We hope that you enjoyed our coverage of this final, but the cricketing action around the world does not stop here. You can just switch tabs and enjoy our coverage of different games. Until next time, cheers and goodbye!

Ajinkya Rahane, the victorious skipper of Mumbai collects a cheque of INR 5 crores. He starts off praising Vidarbha's team, and the way they batted after having a humongous target on the board. He continues by saying that they won the final only because of the collective efforts of the team, they also concentrated on fitness and the result showcased on its own. He also says that he always thinks about his team, he knows that a cricketer has ups and downs in their career. and he also knows that he did not score many this season, but he is really happy for everyone. Ends up saying that they will surely party hard tonight. He also praises and thanks Dhawal Kulkarni for all his contributions to Mumbai cricket. He also says that he has known him since the U-19 days and really respects the way he portrays himself inside and outside the pitch.

Akshay Wadkar, the captain of Vidarbha collects the runner-up trophy and a cheque of INR 3 crores. He says that you get one innings like that in a season and unfortunately they got that in the final. Adds that their batting was clicking throughout the season but it didn't in this big game. Praises their bowlers for their efforts to bowl Mumbai out for 224 runs but could not take advantage of that. Says that Mumbai bowled well and the partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Musheer Khan took the game away from them while Shreyas Iyer did not allow the momentum to shift in their favour. Mentions that on Day 5, he and Harsh Dubey wanted to see out the first hour and frustrate the Mumbai bowlers as they were the last recognized pair. Further adds that, they worked a lot on their fielding in this season which turned a few games around and he is proud of his team.

Tanush Kotian is the PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT for his consistent all-around performances. He says that they have been trying since the last couple of seasons after they lost the final in Ranji, but he is really happy that their efforts showed colors. He continues that in the last season, he performed really well which certainly gave him the boost to perform well this season as well and he gave the credit to his coaching staff and skipper Ajinkya Rahane. He also says that he needs improvement in his bowling and he will surely do it. Ends up saying that he is really happy that they won the final with the help of the effort of every single player in the team.

Musheer Khan is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his exceptional hundred and crucial wickets. He says that it was an important innings for him because it was the final. Adds that he wanted to contribute to the team and wanted to build a partnership with whoever was at the crease. Tells that he had fun batting with Ajinkya Rahane as he guided him well. Mentions that it is a moment of pride to share the dressing room with such great players and everyone wanted to win the 42nd title. Ends by saying that he wants to focus on the present and not look too much ahead.

Presentation Time...

Shams Mulani to share a few words now. He says that he is really happy to win the Ranji trophy for the first time in his career. He also says that they couldn't win the last one but this time with the help of every single player's contribution they got the result. He continues that he always tries to help the team whether it's through bat or ball. Ends up saying, that their motivation was always high even though they failed to have any wickets in the first session and somehow that motivation helped them to win the final.

Shardul Thakur is up for a chat. He says that they haven't won the title for the past few years. Continues that this tournament is a long season and he joined the team for the last league game. Also says that it was exciting to play cricket in challenging situations. He ends up saying he is happy to contribute some important runs in the semi-final as well as in the final.

Dhawal Kulkarni, the man of the moment is being felicitated for his services to Mumbai and the game of cricket. He says he is really emotional as this game was really important for him. He also says that any cricketer would want to start and end at peek and he is grateful to have one. He also says that he was really pleased when Ajinkya Rahane and Tushar Deshpande insisted him to bowl the over and allowed him to get the last wicket. Ends up saying he got much knowledge about the game from his seniors and he also tried to give it to his juniors.

However, that was not the case as Vidarbha once again showed remarkable determination and resilience with both the skipper Akshay Wadkar and Harsh Dubey looking solid at the crease and made sure that they didn't lose any wickets in the first session and added 85 runs. Dubey notched up his half-century in the process while just after Lunch, the skipper registered an exceptional hundred. The duo added a crucial 130 runs which is among the highest in a final, but just after the century, the skipper fell which took the wind out of them as Dubey followed suit. Tanush Kotian and Tushar Deshpande picked up two wickets each to clean up the tail while, it was that man, Dhawal Kulkarni who sealed the win with a wicket and bids adieu to the game in the best way possible.

It was some fightback from Vidarbha on Day 4, but still, Mumbai maintained a significant advantage in the game. Despite a dismal first innings and being tasked with chasing 538 runs, Vidarbha batted throughout Day 4, losing just five wickets in the process. While the scoring rate was low for most of the day, Vidarbha picked up momentum in the final session. Karun Nair showcased resilience, playing more freely towards the end, while skipper Akshay Wadkar remained positive throughout his innings. The pair added 90 runs before Nair's dismissal late in the day left Vidarbha with half their side down. This loss of wickets was a critical blow, but the skipper remained unbeaten on 56, and Harsh Dubey showed promise as well. On the other hand, for the first time since Day 1, Mumbai found themselves under pressure. However, they managed to pick up wickets at crucial times, maintaining their advantage heading into Day 5. The pacers were sparingly used, with spinners Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, and Musheer Khan bowling the majority of the overs. Although they did a fine job of stifling the batters, there were moments where they could have been more consistent with their line and lengths. Despite this, with Musheer dismissing Karun Nair, Mumbai would have felt confident in their ability to wrap up Vidarbha's innings quickly on Day 5.

For Vidarbha, Harsh Dubey delivered an outstanding performance by claiming five wickets, showcasing his exceptional bowling skills, and making a significant impact on the game. Despite his remarkable efforts, Vidarbha found themselves in a challenging position, as they were tasked with chasing a formidable target of 537 runs. This demanding target sets a tough challenge for Vidarbha's batting lineup as they strive to achieve the trophy. On the other hand, Mumbai had a lead of 537 runs now! The significant lead that Mumbai had was a result of impressive individual performances by Musheer Khan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, and Shams Mulani. Musheer Khan's contribution of 136 runs, combined with Ajinkya Rahane's 73 runs, Shreyas Iyer's 95 runs, and Shams Mulani's unbeaten 50, collectively propelled Mumbai to a commanding position of strength and dominance. This cumulative total not only reflects the exceptional batting prowess of these players but also underscores Mumbai's formidable position in the match, firmly placing them ahead by a substantial margin of 537 runs as we headed to Day 4.

In Mumbai's reply, they initially faced early setbacks, but skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Musheer Khan steadied the ship with a solid partnership. Rahane showcased his class with a stylish half-century, while Musheer also reached his fifty in the final over of the day. Their unbeaten stand of 107 runs has put Mumbai in a commanding position going into Day 3. On the other hand, Vidarbha's bowling lacked impact in the second innings, especially after Aditya Sarwate's injury. Despite early breakthroughs by Yash Thakur and Harsh Dubey, they struggled to contain Mumbai's batting. Their batting also failed to make much impact as early in the day, they were bowled out for a mere 105 runs. Dhawal Kulkarni, Shams Mulani, and Tanush Kotian all of them got three wickets each for Mumbai, and with their batters in form, they looked all set to extend their lead even further on Day 3.

Mumbai started positively after being put into bat, with the openers adding 81 runs for the first wicket. However, once Bhupen Lalwani was dismissed, Mumbai's innings derailed as they lost wickets regularly. Despite contributions from Prithvi Shaw and Bhupen Lalwani, it was Shardul Thakur's heroic 75 that propelled them past 200. Vidarbha's bowling struggled initially but found success with spin, as Yash Thakur and Harsh Dubey impressed, picking up three wickets each. Umesh Yadav and Aditya Thakare chipped in with crucial breakthroughs. The pitch offered assistance to the bowlers, posing a challenge for Vidarbha's batters. In reply, Mumbai's dominance continued as they snared three quick wickets, putting Vidarbha under pressure by the day's end.

MUMBAI ARE THE CHAMPIONS FOR THE 42ND TIME! The crowd here is absolutely going wild and it is a fairytale ending for Dhawal Kulkarni as he picked up the last wicket to seal the title. They finally get their hand on the coveted trophy after last winning it in the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy season. The celebrations are going on around the stadium as Ajinkya Rahane, Dhawal Kulkarni, and all the players are taking in the applause. Mumbai is called the 'Home of Cricket' and we can say that normalcy have been resumed. However, we cannot forget the fight that Vidarbha showed while chasing this humongous target and our hearts go out to them.

OUT! CASTLED! Dhawal Kulkarni does the thing that Wankhede was cheering for! For the very last time at his home ground, cleaned the wicket and opened his arm to soak all the cheering from the massive crowd at Wankhede! Dhawal Kulkarni bowls full-length delivery on off and middle and shapes it in towards the leg stump. Umesh Yadav tries to heave at it once again but this time misses the swing and the ball rattles the leg stump. Mumbai will lift the glorious cup of Ranji Trophy 2023-24 for the 42nd time beating Vidarbha by 169 runs!

FOUR! Umesh Yadav himself wasn't sure where the ball was going! Fuller delivery on off and middle. Umesh Yadav heaves it across the line and gets a inner edge to roll the ball towards deep square leg fence for four more runs added into his account.

Fuller delivery on leg and shaping in towards down the leg. Umesh Yadav tries to flick but misses. Huge appeal but turned down.