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Prithvi Shaw-led Maharashtra executed a clinical performance in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group fixture to steamroll hosts Bengal by 10 wickets at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Dominating with both bat and ball from the opening sessions of the contest, Maharashtra dictated the pace of the match to wrap up a comprehensive victory well inside four days.
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Maharashtra complete dominant 10-wicket win over Bengal
Having won the toss and elected to field under favorable morning conditions, Maharashtra’s bowling attack immediately put Bengal under heavy pressure. The surface offered initial lateral movement and bounce, which Maharashtra's pace unit exploited to perfection. Bengal's top order crumbled against consistent, tight channels, leaving the hosts reeling early in their home stadium. Bengal’s first innings lasted just 36.5 overs as they were bundled out for a meager 143.
In response, Maharashtra established a commanding first-innings foundation. Driven by disciplined middle-order partnerships and smart strike rotation, Maharashtra comfortably overhauled Bengal's total, posting 218 runs in 82.5 overs to secure a crucial 75-run lead.
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Trailing by 75 runs, Bengal needed a substantial effort in their second dig to set a challenging target. However, their batting woes resurfaced against Maharashtra's disciplined attack. Although Bengal offered slightly more resistance than their first attempt, regular breakthroughs thwarted any extended partnerships. Bengal were dismissed for 186 in 54.4 overs, setting Maharashtra a modest victory target of 112 runs.
Maharashtra’s openers made light work of the target, chasing down the 112-run mark without losing a single wicket. Finishing at 114/0 in just 19.4 overs, Maharashtra sealed an emphatic 10-wicket victory to pocket all six points from the encounter.
Chinmay Sutar scripts World Record as Mizoram edge Arunachal Pradesh
Mizoram registered a convincing victory in their Ranji Trophy Plate Group clash against Arunachal Pradesh at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Anand, winning by an innings and 29 runs. The match was headlined by a historic batting milestone, as Mizoram’s 29-year-old batter Chinmay Sutar rewrote the first-class cricket record books.
Continuing an extraordinary run of form that included a monumental 400* against Nagaland and a century against Meghalaya, Sutar crafted another masterclass. Batting at number three, Sutar compiled a fluent 175 off 290 balls, laced with 15 boundaries.
With this knock, Sutar reached a cumulative aggregate of 834 runs across his first six first-class innings. In doing so, he broke the long-standing world record for the most runs scored by any batter in their first six first-class innings—surpassing the previous record of 831 runs held by Afghanistan's Bashir Shah, as well as breaking Bill Ponsford's 103-year-old 5-innings record along the way.
Supported by Joseph Lalthankhuma’s 86, Sutar’s 175 powered Mizoram to a colossal first-innings total of 571/9 declared in 157 overs.
Facing a steep deficit, Arunachal Pradesh struggled to cope with Mizoram’s bowling discipline across both innings.
Enforced to bat again, Arunachal Pradesh were bowled out for 257 in 87.2 overs, despite fighting efforts from Techi Doria (56), Kamsha Yangfo (48), and Salil Malhotra (48). Bobby Zothansanga picked up 5/104 in the second innings to wrap up the match. Mizoram sealed victory by an innings and 29 runs, propelled entirely by Sutar’s world-record performance that gave his side complete control of the match.
Mumbai survive late collapse to overcome Railways at Brabourne
Defending champions Mumbai held their nerve in a nerve-shredding thriller at the Brabourne Stadium, defeating Railways by 106 runs after enduring a dramatic late scare on the final day.
Batting first, Mumbai posted a formidable first-innings total of 396 in 123.3 overs, highlighted by contributions from Angkrish Raghuvanshi (78), Shams Mulani (71*), and Sarfaraz Khan (55). Himanshu Sangwan was the pick of the bowlers for Railways with 4/88. In reply, Railways put up a solid fight, reaching 259 all out in 79.5 overs to keep Mumbai’s first-innings lead to 137 runs.
In their second innings, Mumbai accelerated to 234/4 declared in 42.5 overs, setting Railways a daunting target of 372 runs. The declaration was fueled by fluent half-centuries from opener Divyaansh Saxena (100) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (79).
Chasing 372, Railways staged a heroic fightback led by middle-order batter Eshaan Goyal (103) and Zubair Ali (115). The duo forged a massive partnership that put Railways firmly on course for an improbable victory.
With Railways sitting comfortably at 250/5 and needing just 122 runs with 5 wickets in hand, Mumbai looked out of answers. However, the match turned on its head in a matter of overs:
Spinners Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian tightened their lines, finally breaking the set partnership. Railways suffered an extraordinary lower-order collapse, losing their final 5 wickets for just 15 runs.
From 250/5, Railways collapsed to 265 all out in 77.2 overs. Shams Mulani (4/69) and Musheer Khan (3/42) cleaned up the tail rapidly. Mumbai escaped with a 106-run victory, snatching maximum points from the brink of what could have been a stunning upset.
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Tripura outsmart Saurashtra with 133-run win
Tripura pulled off one of the most remarkable upsets in Ranji Trophy history by dismantling former champions Saurashtra, securing a resounding 133-run triumph. Setting a daunting fourth-innings target of 342, Tripura turned to their premier off-spinner Sandip Sarkar to break the back of the chase. Having already taken 4/48 in the first innings, Sarkar delivered another decisive spell of 4/81, tearing through Saurashtra's top order to put the hosts in complete control.
Saurashtra’s resistance was almost single-handedly mounted by Arpit Vasavada, who fought valiantly with a gritty 89 off 189 deliveries. However, his efforts proved insufficient as he was eventually run out by Manisankar Murasingh to bring the match to a dramatic close. Sridam Paul earned Player of the Match honors for setting up Tripura’s historic win with crucial fifties in both innings, scoring 86 and 50.
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