Mumbai vs Madhya Pradesh Highlights Ranji Trophy 2022 Final: Dubey, Shubham hit hundreds; MP trail by 6 runs at stumps

Shubham Sharma also reaches his fifty. Deshpande bowls it on the batter's pads and he flicks it away to square leg. Sharma has scored over 500 runs in eight innings this season.

MP 141/1

Fifty for Yash Dubey! He gets to the 50 mark with a couple of runs down the leg side. He acknowledges the claps from the dressing room.

MP 139/1

Another one! Half volley outside off... and Deshpande punished again by Sharma, who hits it past backward point. Eight runs off the over.

MP 135/1

Shubham Sharma joins the fun. He welcomes Tushar Deshpande with a boundary to extra cover. Deshpande's delivery was full outside the off stump. Easy pickings for Sharma.

MP 131/1

Mohit Avasthi starts off proceedings with the ball... and a bit of tussle between the bowler and batter on the very first delivery. Yash Dubey blocks it back and stares at Avasthi. Four deliveries later, Dubey ends the over with a four past backward point. Four runs off the first over of Day 3.

MP 127/1

Rajat Bhatia says the pitch is still dry due to the sun being out, so it will take some time to be of assistance to the spinners. The cracks have still not opened up.

Madhya Pradesh trail by 251 runs. Tough to say which team has more chances at this stage. Expecting an eventful day of red-ball cricket nevertheless… live action starts in minutes. Stay tuned for live updates!

At 97, opposition skipper Shrivastava put all his fielders at the boundary line with two standing at long-on and long-off. But Sarfaraz hit it straight over the bowler's head, which was followed by a teary-eyed celebration and thigh thump. He was Mumbai's last batter to be dismissed, but Sarfaraz had ensured that the total is good enough for his bowlers to defend. 

It will be interesting to see how the Mumbai bowlers fare on Day 3 against Yash Dubay and Shubham Sharma, who are within touching distance of their fifties.

Sarfaraz has now scored 937 in eight innings of the 2021/22 season at an average of 133.85, becoming just the third batter after Ajay Sharma (1991/92 & 1996/97) and Wasim Jaffer (2008/09 and 2018/19) to do so.

He had also gathered 928 runs in nine innings of the 2019/20 season.

Sarfaraz Khan is closer to securing the Test berth and it won't be a surprise if he plays the Bangladesh Test series. Sanjay Manjrekar also feels that Mumbai batter is close to selection.

"There's absolutely no harm in getting Sarfaraz Khan closer to the Indian Test squad because when somebody performs this heavily at the Ranji Trophy level. It's also to send a strong message that we care about Ranji Trophy cricket," said Manrejar in a virtual interaction hosted by Sony Sports.

It could have been one-way traffic at the Chinnaswamy but Madhya Pradesh didn't falter in response to Mumbai's dominant showing. Madhya Pradesh openers Yash Dubey and Himanshu Mantri gathered 47 runs. 

But after tea, seamer Tushar Deshpande trapped the aggressor Himanshu Mantri who scored 31 runs. Dubey and Shubham Sharma batted steadily in their unfinished 76-run partnership

Sarfaraz Khan, who is in blistering form this season, is nearing 1000 first-class runs at a staggering 81 average. "This is my best ever knock in Ranji Trophy as this is the final and it came when the team was in a troublesome situation. We were losing wickets at regular intervals," said the burly Mumbaikar on his 134 off 243 balls.

When asked about the thigh thump celebration, Sarfaraz Khan said it was an imitation of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.

"This was for Sidhu Moosewala. I love his songs and mostly me and Hardik Tamore (keeper) listen to his songs. I did a similar kind of celebration during an earlier match also (in his memory), but then, the broadcaster didn't show it. I had decided once I score another hundred, I would repeat the celebration," he said.

Sarfaraz Khan made headlines for his teary-eyed celebration and thigh thump after reaching the ton.

"This hundred is because of my abbu (father), his sacrifices and holding my hand when I could have been down and out," said Sarfaraz while dedicating the ton to father and coach Naushad Khan.

At the stumps on the second day, Madhya Pradesh were 123/1 trailing Mumbai by 251 runs, with Yash Dubey (44 not out) and Shubham Sharma (41 unbeaten) at the crease.

While Mumbai found great strength through Sarfaraz Khan, Yash Dubey and Shubham Sharma batted steadily in their unfinished 76-run partnership, helping MP put on a terrific performance with the bat.

Mumbai, who entered the final as heavy favourites, rode Yashasvi Jaiswal's 78 before Sarfaraz put on a terrific 134. Sarfaraz started the second day on 40 with Shams Mulani, who was on 12. Mumbai lost Mulani on the second delivery of the day but Sarfaraz went on to reach the triple-figure mark with regular boundaries. He kept his terrific form going in the domestic tournament by scoring a fourth century of the season.

Hello and welcome to the LIVE coverage of the Ranji Trophy finals between Mumbai and Madhya Pradesh. The second day saw a teary-eyed Sarfaraz Khan reaching the triple-figure mark, putting his team in a dominant position. Sarfaraz is in blistering form nearing 1000 first-class runs for the season (937 currently) at a Bradmanesque average of 81. 

In response to his ton, Madhya Pradesh also put in a terrific performance with the bat. At the stumps on the second day, MP were 123/1 trailing Mumbai by 251 runs.