Mumbai clinched their 15th Irani Trophy title, ending a 27-year wait with a commanding performance that reaffirmed their status as a powerhouse in Indian cricket.
Mumbai piled up a massive total of 537 in the first innings, led by Sarfaraz Khan's sublime 222. From there, it was always about securing the first-innings lead, and the pressure was on Rest of India (ROI) to deliver a strong reply.
ROI found hope through Abhimanyu Easwaran and Dhruv Jurel, who led a spirited fightback. Easwaran's composed knock looked set to take ROI past Mumbai's score, but a mistimed sweep resulted in his dismissal, and from there, the batting lineup crumbled. Mumbai managed to secure a valuable first-innings lead of 121 runs, putting them firmly in control of the match.
In their second innings, Mumbai got off to a flying start thanks to Prithvi Shaw, but a sudden collapse opened the door for an unlikely ROI comeback. As the final day began, Mumbai held the advantage, but ROI still had a glimmer of hope.
However, any chances of a comeback were crushed by a remarkable 158-run partnership for the ninth wicket between Mohit Avasthi and Tanush Kotian. Kotian reached a brilliant century, deflating the ROI attack, while Avasthi played a crucial supporting role.
With Mumbai firmly in command and the game meandering, ROI resorted to using part-time bowlers like Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal. Eventually, the inevitable came as the game was called off shortly after Avasthi reached his well-deserved fifty.
It was a fitting conclusion to a dominant display by Mumbai, who celebrated their long-awaited Irani Trophy triumph in style.
