Mumbai lifted their 38th Ranji Trophy title by thrashing Uttar Pradesh by a huge 243-run margin on Friday (January 16). Chasing a mammoth victory target of 525 runs the Uttar Pradesh team was bundled out for 282 on the final day of the match. Mumbai scored 402 in their first innings and dismissed UP for 245. In the second inning, Mumbai made 367 and gave Uttar Pradesh a huge victory target.

 

Mumbai's Dhawal Kulkarni took five wickets while spinner Ramesh Powar claimed three wickets to make the team victorious one more time. The first session of the second inning was completely dominated by the Mumbai bowlers and at one time, UP was reeling at 54 for 4. UP's skipper Mohamad Kaif resurrected the team with his brilliant knock of 72 runs who was equally accompanied by Bhuvneshwar Kumar (80). Both of them cemented a much-need partnership to lend some stability to the UP innings.

 

But having a massive victory target to achieve the UP batsmen collapsed at the end. Earlier Mumbai carried on their first inning lead to 524 with Rohit Sharma cracking down another century in the second inning. After the defeat, Kaif admitted that the fielding lapses from his side brought them down. Mumbai has reached the finals of Ranji Trophy as many as 42 times and they have lost only four finals.