Ranji Trophy: Mumbai thrash Meghalaya to inch closer to quarter-finals
What's the story
Mumbai thrashed Meghalaya in the Ranji Trophy, winning by an innings and 456 runs on Day 3.
The victory has taken them a step closer to the quarterfinals of India's premier domestic cricket tournament.
However, now, the team's fate depends on the result of another group league match between Jammu and Kashmir and Baroda.
Here's more about Mumbai's dominance against Meghalaya that helped them inch closer to the quarterfinals.
Match highlights
Thakur and Kotian's 4-wicket hauls seal victory for Mumbai
Mumbai's win was mainly powered by the spectacular show of all-rounders Shardul Thakur and Tanush Kotian, who took four wickets each in the second innings.
Their efforts saw Meghalaya bundled out for a paltry 129 runs.
Kishan Lyngdoh (39) and Balchander Anirudh (24) were the only ones to cross the 20-run mark in the the third innings.
Game progression
Meghalaya's struggle and Mumbai's dominance
Meghalaya faltered from the word go, managing just 86/10 in their first innings thanks to Thakur's hat-trick.
Although they showed some fight in the second innings, they couldn't survive Mumbai's bowling attack.
Thakur began the day by sending Meghalaya's top-scorer Kishan Lyngdoh (39 off 35 balls) back, while Kotian cleaned up their tail-enders.
Meanwhile, as the day progressed, Meghalaya's middle-order batsmen couldn't convert their starts and fell cheaply.
Team's resilience
Mumbai's journey to quarterfinals after setback
After a disappointing performance against Jammu and Kashmir in their last match, Mumbai bounced back with a convincing victory over Meghalaya. The win has boosted their chances of reaching the quarterfinals.
"We have worked hard throughout the season. After winning the title last year, we had set a target of winning the Ranji Trophy this time, too," said Kotian after the match.
Batting performance
Mumbai's batting prowess in Ranji Trophy
Mumbai's batting order proved their mettle by scoring a mammoth 671/7d in their first innings.
Centuries from Siddhesh Lad (145), Akash Anand (103), and Shams Mulani (100*) helped them reach the mammoth score.
Notably, Thakur contributed with the bat too, registering his 15th fifty in FC cricket in the form of a crucial 84-run knock.
Meanwhile, skipper Ajinkya Rahane just missed his first century of the season by four runs.