Mukesh, Smaran Script Rest of India’s Irani Cup Triumph
Rest of India produced a stunning final-day turnaround to defeat Jammu and Kashmir by 167 runs in Srinagar on Sunday and reclaim the Irani Cup.
Chasing 279 for victory, J&K appeared well placed at 89 for 3 at lunch. But what followed was a spectacular collapse as they lost their last seven wickets for just 22 runs.
Mukesh Kumar led the demolition job, finishing with 6 for 33, while Akash Deep returned to competitive cricket in style with 3 for 25. J&K were bowled out for 111 in only 28.4 overs.
The victory gave Rest of India their 31st Irani Cup title, including one shared triumph, and their third in the last five seasons.
J&K had started the final day with the advantage. After taking a 41-run first-innings lead, the reigning Ranji Trophy champions knew that a draw would be enough to secure the trophy.
They began their chase confidently.
Shubham Khajuria and Qamran Iqbal added 54 for the opening wicket, with Iqbal taking the attack to the bowlers. The opener, who had hit a century in last season’s Ranji Trophy final, looked comfortable until Akash Deep trapped him lbw.
Mukesh then delivered the first major blow.
He dismissed Shubham Pundir lbw in the 15th over and, moments later, bowled J&K captain Paras Dogra to leave the hosts struggling at 65 for 3.
Khajuria and Abdul Samad ensured there was no immediate collapse, taking J&K to 89 for 3 at lunch.
But the match changed with the very first ball after the break.
Akash Deep removed Khajuria, and the wickets began tumbling.
Mukesh dismissed Kanhaiya Wadhawan and then ran through the tail, removing Abid Mushtaq, Umar Nazir and Sunil Kumar to complete his 11th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
Akash Deep claimed Sahil Lotra as well, leaving J&K with no route back into the contest.
SMARAN’S CENTURY CHANGED EVERYTHING
The foundation for Rest of India’s victory had been laid earlier in the day by Smaran.
Resuming at 306 for 8, Rest of India were eventually dismissed for 319, but Smaran’s 135 proved decisive.
The batter had already made 68 in the first innings, but his second-innings hundred arrived at a far more important moment.
Rest of India had slipped to 197 for 8 before Smaran and Mukesh Choudhary launched a counterattack.
The pair added 113 for the ninth wicket, taking the score to 310 before Choudhary was dismissed.
Smaran eventually became the final wicket to fall, bowled by Sunil Kumar, but by then he had given his team a target that put J&K under serious pressure.
FROM J&K CONTROL TO COMPLETE COLLAPSE
The match had looked very different after the first innings.
Rest of India were dismissed for 237, and J&K responded with 278 to secure a 41-run advantage.
With only a draw required, the Ranji Trophy champions appeared to have the upper hand.
But Smaran’s hundred shifted the momentum.
Then Mukesh and Akash Deep finished the job.
J&K went from 89 for 3 at lunch to 111 all out, losing seven wickets for only 22 runs.
What had threatened to become a tense finish instead turned into a crushing victory for Rest of India.
The result not only delivered another Irani Cup but also underlined the value of resilience: after being forced onto the back foot in the first innings, Rest of India responded with a match-winning hundred and a devastating spell of fast bowling when it mattered most.
Comments are closed.