With five outright victories, they Mumbai are on the top of the table with 25 points.
Before going into their last league game against Punjab, Mumbai skipper Wasim Jaffer wanted to ensure that his side had all bases covered before the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals. A tough opponent like Punjab would have helped them identify a few areas of concern.
But in the end, Mumbai rolled over Punjab with a comfortable nine-wicket win. With five outright victories, they are on the top of the table with 25 points. Mumbai almost played this game with nine players since Aavishkar Salvi (side strain) and Sushant Marathe (groin strain) were ruled out owing to injuries.
Yet to win in such an emphatic manner may have meant a lot to the 39-time champions.
Coach Sulakshan Kulkarni was pleased. “Everyone did a good job: Balwinder Sandhu, Kshemal Waingankar, Ramesh Powar and Ankit Chavan and Wasim Jaffer too. Everyone chipped in. A win before the knockout stage has certainly given us confidence,” he said.
Kulkarni was not worried about injuries, assuring that the entire Mumbai team would be fit and raring to go. “Salvi and Marathe will be fit for the quarterfinals. Abhishek Nair will be ready too,” he said.
Left-arm spinner Chavan, who shone with the bat in the first innings, turned in a fine bowling performance to claim four wickets runs as Punjab were bundled out for 330.
Mumbai chased down 127 in 23.3 overs, with Wasim Jaffer scoring a quickfire 50 and Praful Waghela making 57.
Jaffer played a typically fluent knock, while Waghela, influenced by Jaffer, opened up too. He finished off the game with a six over mid-wicket off Rahul Sharma. Punjab went to the fourth day with a do-or-die mindset. But they were way too aggressive and played into Mumbai’s hands.
Scorecard
Punjab 1st innings 226
Mumbai 1st innings 430
Punjab 2nd innings (O/N: 203/4): U Kaul c Pawar b Chavan 89, B Sharma c Sandhu b Chavan 34, K Goel c Waghela b Chavan 5, R Sharma st Shah b Powar 15, H Singh c Jaffer b Chavan 14, N Sidhu not out 7, B Singh c Shah b Yadav 7
Extras: (B12, LB6, NB21) 39 Total: (all out; 113 overs) 330
FoW: 5-252, 6-261, 7-283, 8-291, 9-312; Bowling: BS Sandhu 21-2-65-1, K Waingankar 23-5-81-2 (8NB), R Powar 31-8-93-2 (11NB), A Chavan 33-18-64-4, K Pawar 4-1-9-0, S Yadav 1-1-0-1
Mumbai 2nd innings
K Pawar c Kaul b Sidhu 23, P Waghela not out 57, W Jaffer not out 50; Extras: (NB2) 2; Total: (1 wkt; 23.3 overs) 132; FoW: 1-47; Bowling: H Singh 5-1-18-0, B Singh 2-0-29-0, R Sharma 9.3-0-49-0, N Sidhu 4-0-18-1 (2NB), B Sharma 3-1-18-0
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}