Ranji Trophy 2025-2026: Shams Mulani's sizzling 7-fer powers Mumbai to riveting 35-run win over Jammu & Kashmir

Shams Mulani's sensational seven-wicket haul was the catalyst for Mumbai's hard-fought 35-run win over Jammu & Kashmir in the opening round of the Ranji Trophy 2025-2026. The match, an Elite Group-D fixture played at the Sher E Kashmir Stadium, concluded on October 18 with the host side being bowled out for 207 while chasing a target of 243. This win marks Mumbai's first against J&K in their last three encounters, a testament to Mulani's phenomenal bowling. The spinner finished with exceptional figures of 7 for 46 across 20.4 overs.

Shams Mulani's 7-fer leads Mumbai to thrilling win over J&K

J&K started the final day at 21 for one, and a resilient 53-run partnership developed for the third wicket between Qamran Iqbal and Paras Dogra. It was the introduction of the spin pairing, Mulani and Tanush Kotian, by skipper Shardul Thakur that shifted the momentum back to Mumbai. Soon after, a dramatic moment occurred in the 26th over: Qamran was controversially given out for obstructing the field after he used his hand to stop a throw from Sarfaraz Khan coming in from square-leg, signaling the beginning of the home side's collapse.

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Qamran Iqbal's in J&K's losing cause

As Abdul Samad walked onto the field to join Dogra, the dismissed opener Qamran Iqbal continued to plead his innocence to the umpires regarding the highly unusual obstructing the field dismissal. Following this unprecedented drama, Mumbai ultimately chose to withdraw the appeal, allowing Qamran to continue batting.

However, the recovered partnership did not last long. In the very next over, Shams Mulani struck decisively, spinning the ball past Dogra's forward defense and sending the stumps flying at 56. The hosts continued to lose wickets rapidly before the lunch break, with Samad and Kanhaiya Wadhawan falling to Tanush Kotian and Mulani, respectively. J&K went into lunch reeling at 127 for five after 41 overs.

Mulani proved unstoppable in the second session. He claimed his third wicket in the second over after the resumption, dismissing Qamran in a fashion similar to Dogra: the ball spun sharply past the bat to rattle the stumps. The 28-year-old left-arm spinner reached his fifth wicket when Abid Mushtaq miscued a shot to Sarfaraz at midwicket, and he immediately followed up by cleaning up Yudhvir Singh the very next ball. Though Auqib Nabi provided late resistance, hitting a couple of sixes in a 30-run last-wicket stand with Umar Nazir, it was Mulani who fittingly sealed the thrilling victory by trapping Nazir leg-before, completing his seven-wicket haul.