Coach Muzumdar delighted as Mumbai overwhelm Odisha

Mumbai coach Amol Muzumdar

Former champions Mumbai outclassed Odisha by an innings and 108 runs in their Elite Group D Ranji Trophy league match in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Mumbai thus topped Group D with 16 points and also sealed their place in the quarter-finals that will be played in June, after the IPL.

Odisha, who were on 84-5 in their second innings at stumps on Saturday, added just 56 to their tally and were bundled out for 140 inside the first hour on Sunday. Left-arm spinner Shams Mulani took five for 64, while off-spinner Tanush Kotian picked up three for 31.

Mumbai have qualified for the knockouts for the first time since 2017-18 when they lost their quarter-final to Karnataka by an innings and 20 runs at Nagpur. Head coach Amol Muzumdar called it a team effort. "It's possible only because of the entire team's effort. From No.1 to 30 [20 players and 10 support staff], everyone put in their best effort," Muzumdar told mid-day.

Sarfaraz Khan, who scored 165 against Odisha, is Mumbai's top run-getter in the league stage, scoring 551 from three matches. In the bowling department, Mulani, who picked up his fourth fifer of the season, topped the charts with 29 wickets. "It's been an unbelievable performance by both Sarfaraz and Mulani," said Muzumdar.

Brief scores
Odisha 284 & 140 (A Raut 59, A Rath 34; S Mulani 5-64, T Kotian 3-31, S Raut 2-44) lost to Mumbai 532-9d by innings and 108 runs