Rest of India chase record score vs Mumbai to win Irani Cup

Opener Faiz Fazal led Rest of India’s dominating display with the bat as they chased down a record target of 480 to beat Mumbai and win the Irani Cup.

Half-centuries from Karun Nair (92), Sudeep Chatterjee (54), Stuart Binny (54) and Sheldon Jackson (59) powered the visitors to an unlikely four-wicket victory over the Ranji Trophy champions on Day 5 of the match, at the Brabourne Stadium, in Mumbai, on Thursday.

Fazal top-scored with 127, but Nair fell for 92, dismissed in the nineties for the second time in the match.

Bengal’s Chatterjee played a steady knock of 54 before Binny provided the late flourish, smashing 54 from 51 balls.

Saurashtra’s Jackson carried the team home, finishing unbeaten on 59.

Mumbai's left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla claimed five wickets for 154 off 42.4 overs but was unable to prevent the Rest from chasing down the highest total in the history of the Irani Cup.

The previous record for the highest run chase in the tournament also belonged to Rest of India, when the Sunil Gavaskar-led team chased down 421.

Gavaskar failed in both innings, but Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Ashok Malhotra hit centuries in the second to take Rest to 424 for five against the Mohinder Amarnath-led Delhi, at the Feroz Shah Kotla, in New Delhi, in October 1982.

It was a remarkable turnaround by Rest of India after they conceded a huge 297-run first innings lead.

Electing to bat, Mumbai had posted a huge 603 in their first innings, scoring 386 for three on the opening day before bowling out Rest for 306.

However, off-spinner Jayant Yadav, who took eight wickets in the match, claimed four for 93 as Mumbai were skittled out for 182 in their second innings.

Resuming Day 5 on 101 for 1, Rest of India made their intent clear from the start.

Opener Fazal, who was unbeaten on 41 overnight, gave the team the much-needed momentum with a fluent knock in the morning session.

He got his half-century off 140 balls, but the next fifty came off half the number of deliveries. He cruised to his century off 228 balls, having hit nine fours.

The Vidarbha batsman put on 110 runs for the second wicket with Bengal’s Sudip Chatterjee before the latter was caught and bowled by Abdulla.

That wicket hardly dampened Rest’s hopes as Karnataka right-hander Karun Nair also attacked right from the start.

Rest went for lunch on 211 two in 71 overs, still needing another 269 runs for victory.

Fazal completed his century after the break with a single to mid-off, off the bowling of off-spinner Jay Bista.

The left-hander's 11th century in first class cricket came off 228 balls as Rest continued their charge for the victory.

But just when Fazal and Nair were threatening to run away with the game, Mumbai struck against the run of play with the key wicket of Fazal.

Once again it was Abdulla who struck, having Fazal caught behind for 127 after the opener had put on 140 runs for the third wicket with Nair.

But there was no stopping Nair, who kept the scoreboard ticking to take Rest’s total to 321 for three in 98 overs at the tea break, with another 159 runs needed for victory in the final session of 39 overs.

Abdulla continued to chip away at the wickets, and in the final session made the crucial breakthrough with the second new ball, dismissing Nair.

The right-hander fell in the 90s for the second time in the match, having been dismissed on 94 in the first innings.

Nair attempted to sweep Abdulla but got a top-edge and was caught by Shreyas Iyer at short fine leg as Rest’s hopes of clinching an unlikely victory appeared to have suffered a big blow.

Captain Naman Ojha kept the momentum going, scoring 29 from 35 balls, before he was run-out.

Responding to Jackson’s call, he went for a quick single but Akhil Herdwadkar, fielding at point, caught him short of his crease with a direct hit.

India discard Stuart Binny, keen to make an impression with the bat after scoring just one in the first innings, took upon the onus of getting the remaining runs and raced to 42 off 36 balls, hitting two huge sixes, including a straight six off Abdulla which landed right inside the press box.

At the final drinks break on Day 5, Rest were firmly in the driver’s seat, with 418 for five in 118 overs and another 62 needed for victory in 15.

Mumbai took a gamble by bringing back part-time leg-spinner Shreyas Iyer. He bowled a full toss which Binny reversed through the off-side for a four and in the next over Jackson lofted Abdulla straight down the ground for a six.

But Binny perished soon after racing to his half-century off 43 balls, which included three fours and two sixes. He was out for 54 off 51.

It was Abdulla again who got the wicket.

Jackson, however, kept his cool under pressure and ensured that the target did not get out of hand.

Jayant Yadav got off the mark with a four through the covers off Bista, which brought up Rest’s 450, in the 125th over.

In the next over, Jackson drove Abdulla through the off-side for another boundary to bring the equation down to 22 runs needed from seven overs.

Yadav’s lofted boundary over cover off Abdulla seemed to have clinched the deal before Jackson completed his half-century off 71 balls with two runs to mid-wicket.

Fittingly, he hit the winning runs, driving Abdulla for a four through the off-side for a commendable victory, as Rest of India scored more than 380 runs on the final day of the match.

Brief Scores:

Rest of India: 306 & 482-6 (Faiz Fazal 127, Karun Nair 92, Sheldon Jackson 59, Stuart Binny 54; Iqbal Abdullah 5-154).

Mumbai: 182 & 603