Mumbai Dominate Himachal Pradesh with All-Round Display
In a commanding display of domestic cricket prowess, Mumbai secured a comprehensive victory over Himachal Pradesh by an innings and 120 runs in the Ranji Trophy on Monday. The win, achieved with a bonus point, propelled Mumbai to the top position in the prestigious tournament's points table, marking a significant milestone in their campaign.
Shams Mulani: Mumbai's Spin Wizard
The star of the match was undoubtedly left-arm spinner Shams Mulani, who produced a magnificent bowling performance. On a pitch at the Sharad Pawar BKC ground that offered increasing turn and bounce as the afternoon sun beat down, Mulani was virtually unplayable. He finished with impressive figures of 5 for 37 in 15.1 overs, systematically dismantling the Himachal Pradesh batting lineup.
This remarkable spell represented Mulani's third five-wicket haul of the season and the second instance where his bowling single-handedly secured victory for Mumbai. His season tally now stands at an impressive 24 wickets, cementing his status as one of the most consistent performers in first-class cricket.
Mumbai's vice-captain, Siddhesh Lad, had previously praised Mulani as the team's 'crisis man,' highlighting his street-smart cricket intelligence developed through years in the domestic circuit. This match proved his value once again, as he complemented his first-innings contribution of 69 valuable runs with this match-winning bowling performance.
Match Progression and Key Moments
After Mumbai posted a formidable total of 446 runs in their first innings, they bowled out Himachal Pradesh for 187, enforcing the follow-on with a massive 259-run lead.
In the second innings, Mumbai's new ball pair of Tushar Deshpande and Shardul Thakur made early breakthroughs, reducing Himachal Pradesh to 3/2. When left-handers Ankit Kalsi and Pukhraj Mann began a rebuilding effort with a 47-run partnership, captain Thakur made the crucial decision to introduce Mulani into the attack.
The move proved inspired as Mulani trapped Kalsi lbw for 19, setting the tone for the remainder of the innings. On a rapidly deteriorating pitch, Himachal Pradesh batters struggled immensely against Mulani's variations, consistently being beaten while playing for non-existent turn.
Mulani received valuable support from fellow left-arm spinner Musheer Khan, who chipped in with two wickets, allowing Mulani to focus on the lower order and complete his five-wicket haul.
Pukhraj Mann's Valiant Resistance
Amid the batting collapse, Himachal Pradesh found a lone warrior in Pukhraj Mann, who played a courageous innings of 65 runs off 102 balls. Walking out to bat with his team in dire straits at 3/2 while following on, Mann displayed remarkable resilience and technical proficiency.
The southpaw showcased excellent backfoot play against spin and produced several elegant cover drives against the pacers. His organized approach and fighting spirit provided the only significant resistance against Mumbai's bowling attack, though he ultimately lacked support from other batters.
Selection Snub and Future Prospects
Despite his consistent match-winning performances, Mulani continues to be overlooked for national selection, whether for the senior team or India A squads. This is particularly noteworthy given that his contemporary, Tanush Kotian, has received call-ups based on domestic performances.
After the match, Mumbai captain Shardul Thakur addressed this issue, expressing hope that Mulani would eventually get his due recognition. 'I feel India has a lot of talented pool, and it's really up to selectors what they are looking at,' Thakur stated. 'The kind of performances Shams is putting up, he will get his due, I am sure, one fine day. He just needs to be patient at the moment.'
Thakur also contextualized the selection challenge, noting that 'only 15 people can play for India or only 15 people can play for India A, so that makes the count to 30. And we have got more than hundreds of good players playing in the country.'
Brief scores: Mumbai 446 beat Himachal Pradesh 187 and 139 in 49.1 overs (P Mann 65; S Mulani 5/37). Points: Mumbai 7, Himachal Pradesh 0.
