Mumbai register largest win in First-class cricket (runs): Key stats
Mumbai thrashed Uttarakhand to reach the semi-finals of the 2021/22 Ranji Trophy season. Mumbai won the match by a mammoth 725 runs, the highest margin of victory by runs in First-class cricket. They have broken the 92-year-old record of New South Wales, who beat Queensland by 685 runs at the Sheffield Shield. Mumbai now eye a 42nd Ranji Trophy title.
How did the match pan out?
Mumbai declared on 647-8 after electing to bat first. They rode on spectacular knocks by Suved Parkar and Sarfaraz Khan. Useful cameos from Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, and Tushar Deshpande helped Mumbai. Mumbai dismissed Uttarakhand for 114, with Shams Mulani taking a five-wicket haul. They batted again, having declared on 261/3 this time. Uttarakhand were bundled out for just 69 in the run-chase.
Largest FC win in terms of runs
Mumbai's 725-run victory is now the largest in First-class cricket by runs. In the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, Nagaland held the record for the largest victory (2021/22 season). They defeated Mizoram by 448 runs in March 2022.
The BCCI acknowledges Mumbai's splendid effort
Bengal entered the record books too
Mumbai achieved the feat a day after Bengal scripted history. In the first quarter-final against Jharkhand, declared on 773/7 (first innings). Interestingly, each of the nine batters scored in excess of 50 runs, the first such instance in the First-class history. In 1893, eight batters from a touring Australian side slammed half-centuries against a combined team from Oxford and Cambridge universities.
A look at other notable numbers
Sarfaraz Khan brought up his seventh First-class ton in the first innings. He went on to score 153 off just 205 balls with the help of 14 fours and 4 sixes. Sarfaraz added 267 runs along with Suved Parkar, who slammed his maiden double-century. Notably, Sarfaraz and Parkar together smacked 35 fours in the innings. The former is the leading run-scorer this season (704).
Second-highest batting average in FC cricket
Sarfaraz now has the second-highest batting average in First-class cricket (80.42) among batters with minimum 2,000 runs. He is only behind Sir Donald Bradman, who recorded a staggering average of 95.14 in the format. Sarfaraz leaves behind India's Vijay Merchant on the list (71.64).
