Mumbai continued their commanding run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, securing a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Chhattisgarh in Jaipur on Monday. The win, their third consecutive in the group stage, was engineered by a potent bowling attack led by skipper Shardul Thakur and spinner Shams Mulani, followed by a smooth chase.
Thakur's Fiery Spell Decimates Top Order
After winning the toss at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya ground, captain Shardul Thakur made an immediate impact with the ball. Exploiting early movement, he reduced Chhattisgarh to a precarious 10 for 4 within the first five overs. Thakur struck with his second delivery, removing opener Ayush Tiwary, caught by Sarfaraz Khan at slip. He bowled Mayank Verma off the final ball of the same over and later found Sarfaraz's safe hands twice more to finish with exceptional figures of 4 for 13 from his five overs.
Mulani's Five-Wicket Haul Seals the Collapse
Just as Amandeep Khare (63) and Ajay Mandal (46) staged a recovery with a 105-run fifth-wicket partnership, left-arm spinner Shams Mulani took control. He broke the dangerous stand by dismissing Mandal, which triggered a dramatic collapse. Mulani proceeded to dismantle the middle and lower order, with the last six Chhattisgarh wickets falling for just 27 runs. He ended with a brilliant 5 for 31, bowling the opposition out for a meagre 142 in 38.1 overs.
Raghuvanshi and Lad Guide Effortless Chase
Mumbai's response was clinical and swift. Openers set a solid platform before Angkrish Raghuvanshi (68 not out) and Siddhesh Lad (48 not out) combined for an unbroken 102-run partnership for the second wicket. They made light work of the target, chasing it down in just 24 overs to seal a massive win. Raghuvanshi, who batted with a bandage on his neck after a bad fall, credited the support staff for his quick recovery.
Speaking after the match, Raghuvanshi said, "All thanks to our physio Mr Suresh who helped me a lot, had a bad fall but I feel much better now." He also commented on the pitch, noting that while his skipper exploited the early conditions, it later turned into a "batting paradise."
With this victory, Mumbai now has 12 points and sits firmly at the top of Group C, showcasing their formidable form in the domestic 50-over tournament.
