Shardul Thakur Shines as Mumbai Crushes Meghalaya by an Innings and 456 Runs in Ranji Trophy

Shardul Thakur stars with all-round brilliance, earning ‘Player of the Match’ as Mumbai dominates Meghalaya; Riyan Parag struggles in Assam’s loss to Saurashtra.

New Delhi, February 1 – Bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur continued his sensational form in the Ranji Trophy, guiding Mumbai to a massive victory by an innings and 456 runs against Meghalaya on Saturday.

Thakur, who was named ‘Player of the Match’, showcased his all-round brilliance, taking 4-wicket hauls in both innings and scoring a blazing 84 runs in the first innings.

So far, in seven matches, Thakur has been outstanding:
✅ 24 wickets at an average of 23.95, with best figures of 4/43.
✅ 381 runs in eight innings at an average of 47.62, with a strike rate of 101.87, including one century and three fifties.

Mumbai’s Dominant Performance

After winning the toss, Mumbai elected to field first and bowled out Meghalaya for just 86 runs.
🔹 Shardul Thakur (4/43), including a hat-trick, and Mohit Avasthi (3/27) dismantled the batting lineup.

Mumbai’s response was a batting masterclass, piling up 671/7 declared with:
🏏 Siddhesh Lad – 145 off 250 balls (17 fours, 1 six)
🏏 Akash Anand – 103 off 151 balls (15 fours)
🏏 Shams Mulani – 100 off 86 balls (16 fours)
🏏 Ajinkya Rahane – 96 off 177 balls (11 fours, 1 six)
🏏 Shardul Thakur – 84 off 42 balls (9 fours, 5 sixes)
🏏 Suryansh Shedge – 61 off 71 balls (4 fours, 1 six)

Meghalaya’s second innings saw another batting collapse, getting dismissed for 129 runs.
🔥 Shardul Thakur (4/48) and Tanush Kotian (4/15) led Mumbai’s bowling attack to seal a record-breaking win.

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Riyan Parag’s Mixed Return as Assam Falls to Saurashtra

Meanwhile, Assam skipper Riyan Parag made his Ranji Trophy return after injury but struggled as his side lost to Saurashtra in their Group D match at Rajkot.

In his comeback match, Parag scored 51 in the first innings and a duck in the second, while also taking 2 wickets for 117 runs.

Saurashtra, electing to bat first, posted a commanding 474 runs thanks to:
✅ Harvik Desai (130 off 181, 17 fours, 1 six)
✅ Cheteshwar Pujara (99 off 167, 10 fours)
✅ Chirag Jani (80 off 78, 14 fours)

In response, Assam crumbled to 164 in their first innings, with Dharmendrasinh Jadeja (4/61) dismissing Parag for 51. Assam’s batting woes continued in the second innings, as they were bowled out for 166 runs, with Jadeja (5/50) claiming a five-wicket haul to earn the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

Shardul Thakur, Mumbai Ranji Trophy, Ranji Trophy 2024, Riyan Parag, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Indian Cricket, Domestic Cricket, Saurashtra Cricket, Meghalaya Cricket, Cricket News, Mohit Avasthi, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja

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