Shardul Thakur’s Century Rescues Mumbai In Ranji Trophy
Shardul Thakur smashed a brilliant century in the Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir, rescuing Mumbai from a precarious position. His heroic knock could be the turning point for the team.
For a cricket fan like me, I know the feeling. Your team is teetering; hope is slipping away, and then one player steps up to save the day. That player for Mumbai and his name was Shardul Thakur.
In the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 clash between Mumbai and Jammu & Kashmir at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy in Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai, Shardul delivered a heroic performance. He turned the tide for Mumbai, scoring a stunning century in the second innings.
A Match Dominated by Bowlers
This wasn’t a batting-friendly game. Not by a long shot. Mumbai’s star-studded lineup? Flopped. But Shardul? He shone.
Mumbai’s Batting Collapse in the First Innings
Winning the toss, Mumbai chose to bat first. Big mistake. The team folded for just 120 runs.
- Rohit Sharma: 3 runs.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal: 4 runs.
- Ajinkya Rahane: 12 runs.
- Shreyas Iyer: 11 runs.
- Shivam Dubey: A duck.
In the first innings, Shardul Thakur smashed 51 runs off 57 balls, hitting five boundaries and two sixes. Without him, Mumbai’s total would’ve been embarrassing.
Tanush Kotian stayed in with 26 runs. But Jammu & Kashmir’s bowlers dominated:
- Umar Nazir Mir: 4 wickets for 41 runs.
- Yudhveer Singh: 4 wickets for 31 runs.
- Aaqib Nabi: 2 wickets.
Jammu & Kashmir’s First Innings
Jammu & Kashmir didn’t exactly set the scoreboard on fire either. They were all out for 206 runs.
Opener Shubham Khajuria led the charge with 53 runs, while Abid Mushtaq added 44. Mumbai’s bowlers fought hard:
- Mohit Awasthi: 4 wickets for 52 runs.
- Shardul Thakur: 2 wickets for 39 runs.
- Shams Mulani: 2 wickets.
Shardul Thakur’s Heroics in the Second Innings
In the second innings of the match, a mirror of the first. Mumbai’s batting lineup faltered again:
- Rohit Sharma: 28 runs.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal: 26 runs.
- Ajinkya Rahane: 11 runs.
- Shreyas Iyer: 17 runs.
- Shivam Dubey again a Another duck.
Mumbai was staring at disaster, losing 7 wickets for just 101 runs. The game? Slipping away.
And then Shardul Thakur took charge.
The Partnership That Saved Mumbai
Shardul joined hands with Tanush Kotian to stitch together an unbeaten 173-run partnership for the eighth wicket. and the Mumbai ended the second day with a lead of 188 runs.
Shardul’s knock was nothing short of sensational:
- 113 runs off 119 balls.*
- 17 boundaries.
Tanush Kotian played the perfect supporting role, scoring 58 runs off 119 balls*.
Continue to Day 3
Day three could be the turning point. If Shardul and Kotian can add more runs, Mumbai will have a solid chance to seal this match.
The stats speak volumes about Shardul’s impact: he’s scored over 41% of Mumbai’s runs across both innings. If Mumbai wins, one name will dominate the headlines—Shardul Thakur.
Also Read: Aarti Ahlawat: Education, Career, And The Woman Behind Sehwag’s Success
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