Mumbai: The spectators witnessed an action-packed opening day in the Ranji Trophy final as 13 wickets were taken by the bowlers.
Vidarbha won the toss and opted to bowl. Mumbai openers Prithvi Shaw (46) and Bhupen Lalwani (37) joined forces to create a stand of 81 runs for the opening wicket. However, Vidarbha bowlers showcased a stellar performance after that to reduce the opposition to 111/6. The team were on the verge of being bundled out on a low total but all-rounder Shardul Thakur came to the rescue of the team.
Thakur played a sublime knock of 75 runs from just 69 balls laced with three sixes during his stay at the crease. His blitz helped the team cross the 200-run mark and they posted a total of 224. Harsh Dubey and Yash Thakur picked three wickets each while Umesh Yadav scalped a couple of wickets.
Mumbai responded in a befitting manner when they came out to bowl. Dhawal Kulkarni and Shardul Thakur bowled impressive spells to get three quick wickets and reduce the Vidarbha side to 31/3 by the end of the proceedings. Dhruv Shorey and Karun Nair were dismissed on duck while Aman Mokhade managed to score just eight runs.
With the bowlers showcasing their quality, the match is now in balance and both sides will look to get themselves in a better position.
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