Musheer 136, Iyer 95 leave Vidarbha needing 538 to win

Musheer Khan's patient 136 and Shreyas Iyer's attacking 95 helped Mumbai set Vidarbha a target of 538 on the third day of the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy final. The highest target chased down successfully in first-class cricket is 536.

With Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma in attendance, the Mumbai batters sent the Vidarbha fielders on a leather hunt.

Ajinkya Rahane got going by hitting a four off Umesh Yadav in the first over of the day. But he could only 15 to his overnight score of 58 and was caught behind off left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey.

Iyer took the attacking route right from the start, hitting Aditya Thakare over long-off for a six. Yash Thakur and Umesh tested him with the short ball but Iyer took them on. The lack of bounce also worked in Iyer's favour as Thakur's short balls hardly got up to even chest height. He pulled one of those over long leg for a six.

Iyer had a stroke of luck on 49 when Dubey induced an outside edge that went between the wicketkeeper and the slip fielder for four. But that did not stop him from going for his shots. On the first ball after lunch, he skipped down the track to Dubey and launched him into the stands beyond long-on.

Musheer was solid at the other end. At one point, it looked like Iyer might beat him to a century when he was on 92 and Iyer on 82. But Musheer eventually pipped his senior partner. Once the milestone was out of the way, Musheer accelerated and moved to 129, with Iyer still five short of his hundred.

Iyer tried to bring up the three-figure mark with a six but holed out to long-off off Thakare. That ended a 168-run association between Iyer and Musheer but by then, Mumbai's lead had crossed 450.

Wickets fell in quick succession after that. Yash bowled Hardik Tamore for 5, and Dubey got rid of Musheer and Shardul Thakur off consecutive balls on either side of tea.

Dubey, who did the bulk of the bowling with Aditya Sarwate indisposed, completed his five-wicket haul when he bowled Tanush Kotian for 13. Shams Mulani brought up his half-century in the company of the lower order and remained unbeaten on 50.

After Mumbai were bowled out for 418 in 130.2 overs, the Vidarbha openers had to face two overs before stumps. Atharva Taide and Dhruv Shorey saw those off safely.