It took Mumbai less than two sessions and 51.1 overs to snare the remaining nine Chandigarh wickets and complete an innings and 155-run victory at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday. The bonus-point win provided an ideal start to its quest to reclaim the Ranji Trophy.
Arjun Azad, who lived a charmed life, and Arslan Khan began in free-flowing fashion before Sarfaraz Khan stretched forward at second slip to pouch an edge off Sylvester D’Souza to dismiss Arslan. He induced Chandigarh captain Manan Vohra into a false shot with a short-ball ploy and rattled Azad’s helmet with a bouncer. Mulani then breached Azad’s defence, and, on the cusp of lunch, had Raj Bawa caught at forward short leg.
Trailing by 351 runs and having lost a wicket on the second evening, the away team needed to play out of its skin to make the home side bat again. Tushar Deshpande, fresh from his hat-trick on Monday, continued his good work.