Irani Cup 2024: Shreyas Iyer delighted as Mumbai ends drought with title win

Lucknow: Mumbai ended a 27-year wait and clinched the 2024 Irani Cup at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Saturday. Celebrating the victory, Mumbai and India middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer expressed his joy on social media.

“Been a long, long wait Mumbai (27 years), but we got our hands on the prize. The feeling is amazing within the group, we’re proud beyond words! Congrats to everyone on winning the Irani Cup,” read a post by Iyer on X (formerly known as Twitter).

This victory marks Mumbai’s 15th Irani Cup title, ending a 27-year wait for the trophy, their last triumph coming in 1997.

Mumbai’s triumph was sealed on the final day of the five-day clash with Rest of India (RoI), where Tanush Kotian’s sensational maiden first-class century in the second innings proved crucial. Despite leading by 121 runs after posting a mammoth 537 in the first innings, Mumbai found themselves in a precarious position at 171 for 8 on Friday, with off-spinner Saransh Jain tearing through the lineup.

Prithvi Shaw had offered early resistance with a solid 76, but Mumbai’s star-studded batting order including Ajinkya Rahane (9), Shreyas Iyer (8), Sarfaraz Khan (17) and Hardik Tamore (7), failed to convert starts, putting Rest of India (RoI) back in contention.

However, Kotian, coming in as a lower-order batsman, showcased his grit and composure, partnering with Mohit Avasthi for a remarkable 158-run ninth-wicket stand that steadied Mumbai’s ship.

Kotian’s unbeaten 114, along with Avasthi’s half-century, allowed Mumbai to extend their lead to a formidable 450 runs. After Avasthi reached his fifty towards the end of the second session, the two teams shook hands, confirming the draw and thus handing the Ranji Trophy winners the coveted Irani Cup.