It was a historic moment in the cricketing history of Jammu and Kashmir when the God of Cricket Sachin Tendulkar himself walked up to the manager of the J&K team to congratulate him for a stunning victory over the star-studded Mumbai team.

Although Jammu and Kashmir’s team had defeated Mumbai earlier in a Ranji Trophy match in 2014, today’s victory is significant in the sense that stars of the Indian cricket team were playing for the host team.

This time despite having Indian captain Rohit Sharma, Test opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, former captain Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, and Shivam Dubey in the middle order, Mumbai lost to Jammu and Kashmir. Under the leadership of Paras Dogra, Jammu and Kashmir defeated Mumbai by five wickets. In this match, Shardul Thakur scored a half-century in the first innings and a century in the second innings for Mumbai, but he could not lead his team to victory.

J&K defeated the star-studded team of Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy match by five wickets.

This victory of Jammu and Kashmir’s team was also a befitting reply to those who had launched a relentless malicious campaign against the selection process and other positive initiatives taken by the JKCA members including Brig  (Retd) Anil Gupta.

J&K team was given a target of 205 runs in the fourth innings, the team led by Paras Dogra comfortably chased this target in 49 overs by losing five wickets. Shubhum Khajuria contributed 45 runs and Vivrant Sharma scored 38 runs.

After the historic victory of the Jammu and Kashmir team, Brig (Retd) Anil Gupta, Member of BCCI Sub Committee Jammu-Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) said that it was the result of the team efforts, hard work, and fair selection.

“An absolutely remarkable and historic victory for the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), as they triumphed over the mighty Mumbai Cricket Association, defeating a star-studded lineup that featured the likes of Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and several other prominent Indian Test players”, he said.

“To take down such a powerhouse team is no small feat, and this victory speaks volumes about the dedication, skill, and determination of the JKCA team”, Brig Gupta said.

 

Yudhvir Singh adjudged as “Man of the Match”

Jammu and Kashmir’s bowler Yudhvir Singh was adjudged as “Player of the Match”. Singh clinched seven wickets in both the innings and also scored 20 runs in the first innings of his team.

In the first innings, Yudhvir Singh got four wickets, while in the second innings, he clinched three wickets.

Mumbai’s Day 3 Collapse

Mumbai resumed their innings on Day 3 at 274/7, with Shardul Thakur unbeaten on 113 and Tanush Kotian on 58. The pair had earlier rescued Mumbai from a precarious position with a brilliant 184-run partnership for the eighth wicket. However, the duo couldn’t add much to their overnight scores, as Auqib Nabi dismissed Thakur for 119 to break the dangerous stand.

 

Shortly after, Kotian fell for 62 as Yudhvir Singh dismantled his stumps, while Mohit Avasthi was run out for just 4. Mumbai’s innings folded for 290 in 74 overs. Nabi was the standout bowler for J&K, taking 4/80 in his 24 overs, while Yudhvir chipped in with an impressive 3/64.

 

J&K’s Chase Target After Losing Five Wickets

Chasing a target of 205, J&K began confidently, with openers Yawer Hassan (24) and Shubham Khajuria adding 37 runs for the first wicket. Hassan was dismissed by Mohit Avasthi for 27, but Khajuria kept the innings on track with a composed knock of 45, which included five boundaries.

 

Mumbai’s left-arm spinner Shams Mulani (4/80) kept his team in the hunt by triggering a J&K batting collapse. Mulani clinched wickets of Shubham Khajuria, Vivrant Sharma, Abdul Samad, and J&K’s captain Paras Dogra. At one stage the J&K was 159 for five and the team needed 46 runs for victory to script history.

Later players namely Abid Mushtaq, who scored 32 (not out) in 32 balls, and Kanhaiya Wadhawan, who scored 19 (not out) in 23 balls steered Jammu and Kashmir for a historic victory.

Although J&K has marked the second consecutive victory over Mumbai in Ranji Trophy on the latter’s home turn, today’s victory was significant in the sense prominent Indian cricket stars like Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, and Shivam Dube were playing for the host team.

Answer to relentless malicious campaign

Despite being the subject of relentless criticism and comparison to local teams by certain sections of the media and cricketing circles, the JKCA players have silenced their critics in the most powerful way possible – with an emphatic win that will go down in the history of Jammu and Kashmir cricket.

“This win proves that hard work, belief, and unity can overcome even the toughest challenges, and it’s a testament to the growing strength of cricket in the region”, Brig Gupta said.

 

The support and leadership of individuals like Mithun Manhas, Brigadier Anil Gupta, Sunil Sethi, Ajay Sharma, and Abdul Qayoom have been instrumental in guiding the team to success. Their vision, commitment, and tireless efforts behind the scenes have made a significant difference in shaping the future of Jammu and Kashmir cricket.

 

This victory is a massive boost not only for the team but for the entire cricketing community in Jammu and Kashmir, who have been working hard to prove their mettle in the face of adversity. For all those who doubted or dismissed the potential of this team, this win is a clear message – JKCA has arrived, and they are here to stay. The critics now have no choice but to acknowledge the talent and spirit of this team.

 

“A huge congratulations to everyone involved – the players, the support staff, and the administrators – for this phenomenal achievement. This victory against Mumbai is not just a win on the field, but a powerful statement of the hard work and resilience of the Jammu and Kashmir cricketing fraternity. Here’s to more success in the future!”, he said.

 

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