Ranji Trophy: Ajinkya Rahane, Royston Dias Star As Mumbai Beat Haryana To Reach Semifinal

Skipper Ajinkya Rahane conjured a typically gritty hundred and pacer Royston Dias supported his effort with a five-wicket haul as defending champions Mumbai completed a fine escape act, scripting a commanding 152-run win over Haryana to enter the Ranji Trophy semifinals here on Tuesday.

Rahane, resuming on 88, wasted no time in the morning to notch 108 (180 balls; 13x4) -- his 41st first-class century, that guided Mumbai to 339 in the second innings for an overall lead of 353 runs.

Chasing 354, Haryana crumbled against left-arm pacer Dias' maiden five-wicket haul (5/39) and Shardul Thakur (3/26), as the veteran quick completed a creditable nine-wicket haul for the match.

They were bowled out for 201 as the joyous Mumbai dressing room might have forgotten that worrisome period when they were 65/5 in the first innings. The 42-time champions will face Vidarbha in the last-four clash on February 17 in a re-match of last season's final.

"Anything over 300, we knew it would be difficult to chase in the fourth innings," said Rahane.

"It's not like I worked alone. The whole team worked hard. Even the players who are not playing, they also worked hard, it's a collective effort."

Rahane made a bright beginning in the first session, as two exquisite boundaries off Sumit Kumar and Anshul Kamboj took him to 99, before a nudged single towards midwicket carried him past the milestone off 160 balls.

The Mumbai stalwart took his helmet off, looked skyward and seemed emotionally relieved as it was his first hundred of the season. However, Mumbai, resuming from 278/4, crumbled after his dismissal.

Shivam Dube (44 overnight) fell two runs short of a fifty, and Mumbai lost their remaining five wickets for just 25 runs in under 10 overs.

Anuj Thakral (4/70) led Haryana’s charge, while Kamboj, Sumit and Jayant Yadav chipped in with two wickets each. But Haryana failed to replicate that spirit in their chase.

Barring a Lakshay Dalal and Sumit Kumar sixth-wicket partnership worth 90 runs, Haryana’s chase never gathered momentum, as they folded in 57.3 overs on a day when the play was agreed upon to be extended because of good light and also because of Haryana losing nine wickets.

Haryana's last five wickets tumbled in the final hour, with Dias producing a career-best 5/39 in 10.3 overs.

"It took me nine years to get the first five wicket haul. I have had a couple of four wicket hauls, but I never completed the five wickets.

"So, even today when I was on four wickets, I was thinking, will it happen or not? Because it has happened twice, that I almost got five wickets and then I got one. I have been very lucky to be a part of a bowling unit," said Dias.

He credited their Mumbai's khadoos cricket culture for their spectacular comeback.

"Overall I feel obviously Mumbai is hard cricket and Khadus cricket as we say. The club cricket that we play. I feel the competition is very high.

"You cannot just play half-heartedly and then perform once in a while and get into the team. I have been part of this team for 9 years now and I have to work for every single match that I get. So that is the amount of competition that is there in Mumbai," he added.

Shardul, who had taken six wickets in the first innings, was the first to strike. Steaming in from the High Court end, he extracted lateral movement on a docile pitch, bowling a relentless 10-over spell across two sessions that read 10-3-26-3. From the Pavilion end, Dias provided perfect support, returning 6-2-12-2 in his first spell.

Lakshay, Sumit Frustrate Mumbai

Just as it seemed Mumbai would wrap things up early, Haryana’s Lakshay (64 off 130; 9x4) and Sumit (62 off 96; 10x4) dug in, stitching a doughty stand against the run of play.

On an eased-out fourth-day pitch, Sumit counterattacked, stepping out to Shams Mulani to negate the turn.

Rahane turned to Dube's military medium pace, but Mumbai remained frustrated as misfields crept in, offering easy singles, though the steep target remained their advantage. Sumit soon reached his seventh first-class fifty in 72 balls, Rahane’s sharp captaincy changed the game.

The breakthrough came via off-spinner Tanush Kotian, who struck in his very first over. Lakshay, attempting to drag a ball from outside, gloved it faintly to the keeper.

The umpire wasn’t convinced, but Rahane immediately called for DRS and the UltraEdge showed a clear deflection. Dias then delivered another blow, as Rahane’s astute bowling change ended Sumit’s counterattacking knock.