How did Avasthi's five-wicket haul propel Mumbai over Delhi in the Ranji Trophy?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Mumbai, Jan 29 (NationPress) Mohit Avasthi achieved his sixth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, putting Mumbai in a commanding position during the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 against Delhi at the BKC-Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy in Mumbai on Thursday, even with Sanat Sangwan scoring 118 runs from 218 deliveries.
Delhi was bowled out for 221 late in the day, with Avasthi claiming figures of 5-62, including a remarkable spell where he took three wickets for just six runs. Additionally, Shams Mulani and Tushar Deshpande contributed with two wickets each. While Sangwan was the standout performer for Delhi, Vaibhav Kandpal and Pranav Rajvanshi chipped in with 32 and 39 runs, respectively.
Mumbai, having already secured a place in the knockout stage, concluded the day at 13/1 after Divij Mehra dismissed Akash Anand. The match was halted early due to poor visibility caused by construction dust in the vicinity, prompting players like Sarfaraz Khan and Musheer Khan to wear masks while fielding.
In Amtar, left-arm seamer Sunil Kumar claimed five wickets, bowling Himachal out for 168 and placing Jammu and Kashmir in a favorable position. J&K ended the day at 20 without loss, already holding an advantage over HP in a crucial match for knockout qualification.
In Pondicherry, Rajasthan was dismissed for 168 by Puducherry, with Karan Kannan taking 5-37 and Sagar Udeshi capturing 3-54. Deepak Choudhary provided the only resistance for Rajasthan with a score of 64. Puducherry responded with 77/2, with captain Neyan Shyam Kangayan unbeaten on 41 and Ramamoorthy Ragavan not out at 20.
In Hyderabad, Chhattisgarh scored 283 against the hosts, led by Prateek Yadav with a century and Vikalp Tiwari contributing 94 runs. Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj spearheaded Hyderabad’s bowling attack with 4-56. Hyderabad responded well, finishing at 56-0 at stumps with Aman Rao on 32 and Abhirath Reddy on 23, trailing Chhattisgarh by 227 runs.
This round of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group matches is crucial as the tournament approaches its final phase of the season.