Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26: Shardul Thakur, Shams Mulani set up Mumbai’s comfortable win

As the temperature dipped, Shardul Thakur made optimum use of the conditions and jolted Chhattisgarh’s top-order with four quick wickets, before the seasoned left-arm spinner Shams Mulani ran through the lower-order with his maiden List A five-for to guide Mumbai to a nine-wicket victory in a Vijay Hazare Trophy Group C fixture.

At the Jaipuria Vidyalaya ground on Monday, Mumbai won the toss and opted to field, and Shardul ensured that the decision paid off as he struck twice in the first over. He followed up with the wicket of Ashutosh Singh, who was caught at slip by Sarfaraz Khan. Reeling at 9 for 3, Chhattisgarh suffered another blow as Sanjeet Desai, too, was caught at slip by Sarfaraz off Shardul.

Having lost four wickets inside five overs, it looked difficult for Chhattisgarh to recover, but with captain Amandeep Khare and Ajay Mandal forging a 105-run partnership for the fifth wicket, the team breached the 100-run mark. With a cautious approach, Khare played every ball by its merit and brought up his third consecutive fifty of the tournament, before Mulani found a breakthrough, trapping Mandal leg-before. Mandal, who looked quite steady en route his 67-ball-46 was dejected to have missed out on a fifty.

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Once the momentum was broken, Mulani tightened the noose further as none of the lower-order batters could step up. With Musheer Khan picking the big wicket of Khare, Chhattisgarh lost its last five wickets for just 37 runs.

Chasing low totals could often be tricky, but with Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s unbeaten 66-ball-68 and Siddhesh Lad’s 48 not out off 42 balls, Mumbai reached home in just 24 overs, without breaking a sweat. While Harsh Yadav claimed the solitary wicket of debutant opener Ishan Mulchandani, who wasn’t happy with the dismissal, Lad and Raghuvanshi held fort.

Despite Chhattisgarh skipper Khare shuffling his bowlers frequently, the experienced batters played to their strength and helped Mumbai register its third win on the trot.

Published on Dec 29, 2025