In a highly anticipated showdown between two Maharashtrian powerhouses, Mumbai is set to face Vidarbha in the final of the Ranji Trophy 2024. Mumbai, eyeing their 42nd title, will lock horns with Vidarbha, who are hunting for their third trophy to add to their cabinet.
Battle of the Batsmen
Leading the batting charge for Mumbai is Bhupen Lalwani, who has amassed 533 runs in the season, closely followed by Tanush Kotian with 481 runs. Vidarbha, on the other hand, boasts the experience of Karun Nair, who has accumulated an impressive 616 runs, supported by Dhruv Shorey's 549 runs. Both sets of batters will be expected to deliver crucial performances for their teams.
Bowling Duels
In the bowling department, Vidarbha possesses the formidable duo of Aditya Sarwate and Aditya Thakare, who have scalped 40 and 33 wickets respectively. Mumbai relies on the talents of Mohit Avasthi (35 wickets) and Shams Mulani (31 wickets) to provide breakthroughs.
Captains' Dilemma
While Mumbai's captain, Ajinkya Rahane, has struggled with the bat this season, managing just 115 runs so far, he will be eager to make a mark in the title clash with his wealth of experience. On the other side, Vidarbha's skipper, Akshay Wadkar, has enjoyed a stellar run with the bat, accumulating 530 runs, and will be keen to continue his impressive form in the final showdown.
Squads
Mumbai: Prithvi Shaw, Bhupen Lalwani, Musheer Khan, Mohit Avasthi, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Tamore(w), Shams Mulani, Shardul Thakur, Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande, Sylvester DSouza, Suved Parkar, Amogh Bhatkal, Prasad Pawar, Suryansh Shedge, Atharva Ankolekar, Shivam Dube, Jay Gokul Bista, Royston Dias, Dhawal Kulkarni
Vidarbha: Atharva Taide, Dhruv Shorey, Aman Mokhade, Karun Nair, Yash Rathod, Akshay Wadkar(w/c), Aditya Sarwate, Akshay Wakhare, Yash Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Aditya Thakare, Faiz Fazal, Sanjay Raghunath, Rajneesh Gurbani, Lalit M Yadav, Siddhesh Wath, Darshan Nalkande, Mohit Kale, Harsh Dubey, Jitesh Sharma, Shubham Dubey
The clash promises to be a thrilling encounter as both teams battle it out for Ranji Trophy glory. Stay tuned for more updates from the exciting final match.