Ranji Trophy: Mumbai set up final date with Madhya Pradesh

Bengaluru, June 18

Domestic giants Mumbai qualified for the Ranji Trophy final by the virtue of the first innings lead on the final day of their semifinals match against Uttar Pradesh here today.

The 41-time champions dominated from the first ball of the game, which ended in a draw. Mumbai had posted 393 in their first innings and then bundled out Uttar Pradesh for a meagre 180 to gain a massive lead.

When play ended on the fourth day on Friday, Mumbai had piled up a mammoth 449/4 in their second essay, courtesy hundreds by Yashasvi Jaiswal and Armaan Jaffer, for an overall lead of 662 runs. Overnight batters Sarfaraz Khan and Shams Mulani continued to torment the UP bowlers. Both Sarfaraz (59 not out) and Mulani (51 not out) completed their half-centuries as Mumbai posted 533/4 in their second essay before the match ended.

MP thrash Bengal

Alur (Karnataka): Madhya Pradesh entered the final after 23 years when West Bengal, needing 350 runs to win their semifinal match, were bowled out for 175, with left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya emerging as the MP hero.

Kartikeya bowled 32 overs out of the 65.2 overs that West Bengal faced, and were routed for only 175. His final figures read 32-10-67-5 for a match haul of 8/128.