Irani Cup match to be relocated due to Mumbai monsoon
The upcoming Irani Cup match, initially scheduled to take place in Mumbai, is set to be relocated due to the city's extended monsoon season, as per Times of India. The fixture will now be contested between Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai and the Rest of India at either Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium or Lucknow's Ekana Stadium. This decision was made after considering the city's inability to host a five-day game of this magnitude during its prolonged wet spell.
BCCI's initial plans and Mumbai's Ranji Trophy triumph
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had originally planned to host the tournament in Mumbai as part of its 2024-25 domestic calendar. However, the city's extended monsoon season has necessitated a change in venue. This announcement follows Mumbai's recent Ranji Trophy victory under Ajinkya Rahane's leadership, where they defeated Vidarbha in the final by 169 runs at Wankhede Stadium.
What is Irani Cup?
The latest Ranji champions and the Rest of India feature in the Irani Cup, a one-off First-Class encounter. Notably, the 2022-23 domestic witnessed two Irani Cup games. As per ESPNcricinfo, ROI have claimed 30 Irani Cup wins, having played 61 matches. They finished as the runners-up on 29 occasions while two of their trophies were shared.
How Mumbai have fared in the Irani Cup?
With 14 wins across 29 apperances, Team Mumbai is the second-most successfull side in the Irani Cup history. The team is set to play its first Irani Cup match since the 2015-16 season. Meanwhile, Mumbai haven't lifted this trophy in this century. Their last Irani Cup triumph dates way back to 1997-98.
