Mumbai ends 27-year wait to lift Irani cup, bags 15th title after thrilling draw

Mumbai ended a 27-year wait to win the Irani Cup after their five-day match against Rest of India (RoI) ended in a draw at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium. The Ranji Trophy champions secured the victory on the basis of a first-innings lead, marking a major achievement for skipper Ajinkya Rahane and his team. Mumbai was in trouble at 171/8, but Tanush Kotian and Mohit Avasthi rescued the innings with a crucial unbeaten 148-run partnership.

Sarfaraz Khan, who scored a double century in the first innings, was named Player-of-the-Match. His knock, combined with Shardul Thakur's contribution, built a solid foundation for Mumbai. Kotian’s maturity on a tricky red-soil pitch and Avasthi’s resilience kept RoI at bay, despite off-spinner Saransh Jain’s brilliant 6/121. Rahane credited his team’s experience on similar surfaces in Mumbai and praised Kotian’s all-round performance, tipping him as a future Indian star.

RoI captain Ruturaj Gaikwad expressed frustration, acknowledging that the partnerships of Sarfaraz with Shardul and Kotian proved pivotal in Mumbai’s recovery. Gaikwad also lauded the efforts of Abhimanyu Easwaran (191) and Dhruv Jurel (93), but noted that RoI's lower order failed to match Mumbai’s resilience. Despite RoI’s strong showing, Mumbai’s grit and first-innings lead ultimately decided the match in their favor.