Shardul Thakur stars as Mumbai thrash TN to make their 48th Ranji final
After conceding a first-innings lead of 232, Tamil Nadu collapsed once again to lose inside three days
ESPNcricinfo staff
04-Mar-2024
Shardul Thakur was named the Player of the Match • Getty Images
Mumbai 378 (Thakur 109, Kotian 89*, Sai Kishore 6-99) beat Tamil Nadu 146 (Vijay 44, Washington 43, Deshpande 3-24) and 162 (Indrajith 70, Mulani 4-53) by an innings and 70 runs
Mumbai made it to their 48th Ranji Trophy final after thrashing Tamil Nadu by an innings and 70 runs on the third day of their semi-final at the Bandra Kurla Complex. The final will be played at the Wankhede Stadium from March 10.
Resuming the day on 353 for 9, Mumbai ended their first innings at 378, with a healthy lead of 232. Tanush Kotian, who was unbeaten on 74 overnight, stretched the last-wicket partnership with Tushar Deshpande to 88. At one point, it looked like Kotian, No. 10, would complete his second hundred in as many matches. But Washington Sundar dismissed Deshpande to leave him stranded on 89.
In response, Tamil Nadu once again had a nightmarish start. Shardul Thakur, who had scored a blazing hundred on Sunday, dismissed N Jagadeesan and Sai Sudharsan cheaply. From the other end, Mohit Avasthi had Washington caught behind to make it 10 for 3.
Baba Indrajith put up a fight with the help of the middle order. He hit nine fours in his 70 before Avasthi sent him back, but no other TN batter crossed 25.
When Kotian bowled R Sai Kishore at the stroke of tea, TN were 153 for 6. After the break, left-arm spinner Shams Mulani ran through the lower order to pick up the remaining four wickets.
Thakur was named the Player of the Match for his hundred and four wickets in the match.