Ranji Trophy: Vidarbha, Gujarat, Mumbai enters semis

Ranji Trophy: Vidarbha, Gujarat and Mumbai reach the semis of the Ranji Trophy cricket tournament on Tuesday. When Vidarbha thrashed Tamil Nadu, Gujarat downed Saurashtra, and Mumbai fell Haryana. The battle between Jammu & Kashmir and Kerala has another day remaining, after which the fourth team will reach the semis.

Former winners Vidarbha delivered a commanding performance to book their spot in the Ranji Trophy semifinals, thrashing Tamil Nadu by 198 runs on Day 4 of their quarterfinal clash on Tuesday. Riding on Nachiket Bhute’s three-wicket haul and Yash Rathod’s resolute century, last season’s runners-up continued their winning momentum, sealing a convincing victory at home, IANS reported.

Gujarat stormed into the semifinals for the first time since the 2019-20 season, delivering a resounding innings and 98-run victory over Saurashtra at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Tuesday. A dominant all-round performance saw Gujarat outplay the hosts in every department of the game, bundling Saurashtra out for 197 in their second innings well before the tea interval on Day 4.

Despite the pitch at Rajkot showing no major signs of deterioration, Saurashtra’s batting unit faltered again, mirroring their first-innings collapse for 216. In contrast, Gujarat had posted a mammoth 511, riding on brilliant centuries from Urvil Patel and Jaymeet Patel, a total that ultimately proved insurmountable for the hosts.

Meanwhile, Pacer Shardul Thakur was at his menacing best at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday, delivering a probing spell that guided Mumbai to a dominant 152-run win over Haryana and a spot in the Ranji Trophy semifinals. The seasoned pacer’s relentless accuracy and ability to exploit movement off the surface made the difference, as he finished with figures of 9 for 84 in the quarterfinal clash.

Thakur’s natural outswinger kept the slip cordon interested, but it was the one that nipped back in or held its line that proved to be his most potent weapon. His 10-over opening spell—spread across the pre- and post-lunch sessions—was pivotal in breaking Haryana’s resistance early in their chase of 354. He trapped Ankit Kumar and Himanshu Rana in front with sharp in-duckers before inducing an edge off Rohit Sharma to first slip, setting the tone for Mumbai’s defence.

The experience quickly found an able ally in Royston Dias, whose left-arm pace attack wreaked havoc. Playing a crucial supporting role, Dias claimed his maiden First-Class five-wicket haul, dismantling Haryana’s middle and lower order with precision.