MP to face Mumbai in Ranji Trophy final: Key stats
Mumbai will lock horns with Madhya Pradesh in the much-coveted final of the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy. The five-day event will take place at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru between June 22-26. Mumbai have the fortune of some high-profile players in Prithvi Shaw, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Sarfaraz Khan. However, MP aren't a side that will budge from this challenge. Here's more.
Why does this story matter?
It's a remarkable achievement for Madhya Pradesh. They will be competing in their first final since the 1998-99 season. They have rising prospects in Rajat Patidar, Yash Dubey, and Kumar Kartikeya. MP would be hoping to pocket their maiden Ranji title. Mumbai, on the other hand, have won the tournament a record 41 times. They will start as the favorites for the final.
Semi-finals: Mumbai trump Uttar Pradesh; MP batter Bengal
Mumbai managed 393 in the first innings versus UP. Tushar Desphande, Mohit Avasthi, and Tanush Kotian bagged three-fors each to bundle out UP (180). Later, Mumbai declared on 533/4 and won due to the first-innings lead. Meanwhile, MP scored 341 against Bengal riding on Himanshu Mantri's 165. Bengal folded on 273. Later, they succumbed to a 174-run defeat while chasing 350.
A look at Mumbai, MP's run in the tournament
MP finished atop the Elite Group A standings. They beat Gujarat and Meghalaya and followed with a draw versus Kerala. They trounced Punjab and Bengal in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, respectively. In Group D, Mumbai faced a draw versus Saurashtra. They won their next three games, beating Goa and Odisha before clinching a 725-run win over Uttarakhand (quarter-finals). They got past UP next.
Key performers in Ranji Trophy 2021/22
For Mumbai, Sarfaraz Khan has belted the most number of runs in the tournament underway (803). He has hit three hundreds and two fifties. Yashasvi Jaiswal (419) and Armaan Jaffer (339) follow suit. Shams Mulani leads their bowling charts, having clipped 37 wickets. Meanwhile, Rajat Patidar (506) and Yash Dubey (480) are the top run-getters for MP. Spinner Kumar Kartikeya has affected 27 dismissals.
A look at the key stats and records
As stated, Mumbai have won the coveted trophy on a record 41 occasions. They last won a title in 2015-16. Mumbai have finished as the runner-up on five occasions, with the most recent appearance in 2016-17. MP have reached the final just once (1998-99). They ended up as the runner-up to Karnataka, losing with five overs to spare on the last day.
Notable records for Madhya Pradesh in Ranji Trophy
MP's highest total in Ranji Trophy: 619/8d vs Saurashtra, 2013-14. Meanwhile, their lowest total: 60 vs Baroda, 2013-14. MP's biggest margin of a win: 355 runs vs Bengal, 2015-16. Highest individual score: Jai Prakash Yadav, 265 vs Railways in 1999-00. Most runs in a season: Devendra Bundela, 955 in 1998-99. Best bowling figures in an innings: Narendra Hirwani, 8/52 vs Vidarbha in 1993-94.
