Kerala has scripted history by reaching the finals of the Ranji Trophy for the first time after a nail-biting semifinal against Gujarat. The match, held at Ahmedabad, saw Kerala edge out Gujarat by just two runs, following one of the most unusual dismissals witnessed in the tournament's history. Kerala’s campaign was spearheaded by the brilliant M Azharuddeen, who scored 177 runs, leading his team to set a first-innings total of 457.
Gujarat, on the other hand, fought valiantly and matched their opponents with strong contributions from Priyank Panchal, who made 148, and handy 70s from Aarya Desai and Jaymeet Patel. The game swung back and forth with tension building until the very end. Gujarat needed only two runs to equal Kerala’s total when chaos ensued. Arzan Nagwaswalla was at the crease during the dramatic final moments. His attempt to flick Aditya Sarwate’s delivery led to one of the most bizarre dismissals; the ball deflected off the helmet of short-leg fielder Salman Nizar, which was then caught by Sachin Baby at slip.
This dismissal not only ended Gujarat’s innings at 455—but it also marked Kerala's first-ever entry to the Ranji Trophy finals. Following this extraordinary event, Nizar had to be stretchered off, but fortunately, he was reported to be stable. By securing the tiniest of margins through this rule, Kerala ensured their place, igniting celebrations among their fans.
Meanwhile, Vidarbha was making headlines of their own, defeating the mighty Mumbai side—forty-two-time Ranji Trophy champions—by 80 runs at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium. Led by the stellar performance of Akshay Wadkar, Vidarbha exacted sweet revenge on Mumbai, having faced heartbreak against them last season. The significance of this victory was not lost on the players or the fans.
Starting with the bat, Vidarbha's Dhruv Shorey alongside Danish Malewar built on Day 1, surpassing the 350-run mark. Despite Mumbai's Shivam Dube delivering fiery bowling with five wickets to restrict Vidarbha to just under 400, it was insufficient to keep the batting lineup of Vidarbha at bay. On the other hand, noteworthy performances from international stalwarts for Mumbai, such as Ajinkya Rahane and Suryakumar Yadav, fell short, culminating with Mumbai's all out at 270.
Akash Anand was the lone warrior for Mumbai, scoring a century (106 runs), but the rest of the batting collapsed. Vidarbha's Parth Rekhade led the bowling charge claiming four wickets, supported by Yash Thakur and Harsh Dubey, each contributing two wickets to secure Mumbai's downfall. With Vidarbha establishing their dominance, Yash Rathod’s magnificent innings of 151 runs bolstered Vidarbha's efforts to 292 as they aimed to defend their total.
Mumbai's multi-talented team was faced with the uphill task of chasing down 406 runs after conceding such strong totals. Some bright sparks like Shams Mulani's fantastic bowling effort (6/85) offered hopes initially, but it wasn't enough, as Vidarbha's bowlers, led by Harsh Dubey's five-wicket haul, secured Mumbai's dismissal for 325 runs.
With both matches concluding dramatically, the stage is now set for the finals: Kerala vs Vidarbha. This historic final will pit the two teams against each other, with Kerala carrying the hopes of their state and Vidarbha eager to claim another title following this impressive campaign. The upcoming match promises to captivate cricket enthusiasts, showcasing the strong spirit and tenacity of Indian domestic cricket.