Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Shardul hat-trick the highlight on Day 1 as Mumbai establishes control against Meghalaya

Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Shardul hat-trick the highlight on Day 1 as Mumbai establishes control against Meghalaya

Shardul Thakur made the most of the early-morning conditions and claimed a hat-trick as Mumbai bundled out Meghalaya for just 86 before riding on half-centuries from captain Ajinkya Rahane and Siddhesh Lad to take firm control of its final Ranji Trophy group league fixture.

As Rahane (83 batting, 152b, 9×4, 1×6), who scored his first fifty of the season, and Lad (89 batting, 155b, 11×4, 1×6) held fort with an unbeaten 170-run partnership for the third wicket, Mumbai ended at the opening day’s play at 213-2, with a 127-run lead, after losing openers Ayush Mhatre and Amogh Bhatkal early.

With the temperature soaring and the surface at the MCA-BKC ground easing out, the seasoned Rahane and Lad toyed with an inexperienced Meghalaya bowling line-up and paved the way for a big total. Both of them took some time to settle in, but shifted gears in the post-tea session as they hit a flurry of boundaries, adding to Meghalaya’s woes.

However, Shardul’s four-wicket haul was the highlight of the day.

Proving Mumbai’s decision to bowl first right, Shardul (4 for 43) struck on the fourth ball as Shams Mulani took a regulation catch at slips to dismiss Nishikanta Chakraborty on a duck.

While Mohit Avasthi (3 for 27) added to the pressure with a caught behind of Kishan Lyndoh, Shardul returned stronger in his next over to claim a hat-trick. He cleaned up B. Anirudh, got Sumit Kumar caught at third slip, and became the fifth Mumbai bowler to claim a hat-trick in the Ranji Trophy as he rattled Jaskirat Sachdeva’s off-stump.

With five batters failing to open their account, Meghalaya was reeling at two for six at one stage, before Pringsang Sangma and captain Akash Chaudhary added 34 runs for the seventh wicket.

Aiming for an outright win with a bonus point to stay in the hunt for the knockouts, Mumbai bowlers finished off the tail and ensured that Meghalaya did not cross the hundred-run mark.