Irani Cup final: Parth Bhut takes 12 wickets, scripts history
Saurashtra spinner Parth Bhut has entered the record books by taking 12 wickets against Rest of India in the 2023 Irani Cup final. The left-arm spinner took a fifer in the first innings and topped it up with a seven-wicket haul in the second. As per Mohit Shah, Bhut has become the sixth bowler to take two fifers in an Irani Cup final.
Bhut's first-innings fifer
Left-arm spinner Bhut was the pick of Saurashtra's bowlers in the first innings. He picked wickets at crucial junctures that restricted ROI. Bhut snapped up 5/94 in 29.2 overs, including a couple of maidens. As a result, ROI, were cruising on 131/1, got bowled out for 308 in 94.2 overs. Bhut also dismissed ROI skipper Hanuma Vihari.
Seven wickets in 2nd innings
Saurashtra managed 214 runs and faced a first-innings deficit. However, Bhut's brilliance helped Saurashtra bowl ROI out for a mere 160 in the 2nd innings. He took seven wickets for 53 runs in 16 overs, including a maiden. Notably, Bhut took six of ROI's last seven wickets. As many as seven ROI batters finished with single-figure scores.
Sixth bowler with this feat
As per Mohit Shah, Bhut has become the sixth bowler with two five-wicket hauls in an Irani Cup final. Srinivas Venkataraghavan (1969), Gopal Sharma (1988), Anil Kumble (1992), Sairaj Bahutule (1997), and Dodda Ganesh (1996) are the other bowlers with this feat. It is worth noting that Bhut is the first left-arm spinner to reach this landmark.
Ninth bowler with this record
Bhut has become the ninth bowler to register at least seven wickets in an innings in the Irani Cup final. His second-innings figures of 7/53 are now his best in First-Class cricket (BBI).
Who is Parth Bhut?
Bhut made his First-Class debut during the 2018/19 Ranji Trophy. Over a year later, Bhut burst onto List A and T20 cricket. The Saurashtra all-rounder now has 28 wickets from 11 FC matches, a tally that includes three five-wicket hauls. The one in the Irani Cup final was his maiden 10-wicket haul. Bhut, who bats right-handed, has 355 runs in the format.
