Ending a 27-year wait, domestic cricket powerhouse Mumbai reclaimed the prestigious Irani Trophy after defeating the Rest of India (RoI) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
The win, secured on a first-innings lead, marked Mumbai’s 15th Irani Cup triumph, the most by any Ranji Trophy team. This victory holds special significance as the side had not won the title since the 1997-98 season, despite making eight final appearances in the intervening years.
The Ajinkya Rahane-led Mumbai outfit dominated the proceedings from the very first day, putting up a colossal 537 in their first innings. The innings was headlined by Sarfaraz Khan’s brilliant unbeaten 222, his fourth double hundred in first-class cricket. Khan was well-supported by Rahane, who narrowly missed out on a century with a gritty 97, anchoring Mumbai’s efforts against a determined RoI bowling attack. In response, the Rest of India’s fightback was led by Abhimanyu Easwaran’s magnificent 191.
However, the Mumbai bowlers, led by their relentless seamers and spinners, managed to restrict the RoI side to 416, giving the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy champions a crucial 121-run first-innings lead. That margin eventually became the defining factor as Mumbai held their nerve to secure victory.
In their second essay, Mumbai faced early setbacks with their top order collapsing, but Tanush Kotian stepped up at No. 8 to deliver a match-defining knock. Kotian converted his second fifty-plus score in the match into his maiden century in domestic red-ball cricket, ensuring Mumbai gained control of the game and solidified their position with a commanding lead in the second innings.
The Irani Trophy title triumph adds to what was already a historic previous season for Mumbai, who defeated Vidarbha by 169 runs to claim their 42nd Ranji Trophy title earlier in the year at the Wankhede Stadium.