Vidarbha rout Delhi to win Ranji Trophy for the first time, create history: Highlights

Vidarbha have created history by winning the Ranji Trophy for the first time in history with a thumping nine-wicket win over Delhi at the Holkar stadium in Indore. Rajneesh Gurbani’s 6/59, including a hat-trick and a century from Akshay Wadkar were the key moments in Vidarbha scripting a fairytale run. For Delhi, Dhruv Shorey was the star with a century and a fifty but Rishabh Pant’s side came up short on the given day. Get highlights of Delhi vs Vidarbha, Ranji Trophy final day 4 here.

17:01 hrs IST: Vidarbha, you beauty! Fittingly, Wasim Jaffer finishes it off with three boundaries as they clinch the Ranji Trophy title for the first time in history. Joyous scenes at the Holkar stadium as the entire team celebrates deliriously. What a moment!

Final score: Delhi (295, 280) lose to Vidarbha (547, 32/1) by nine wickets.

16:43 hrs IST: Faiz Fazal falls LBW to Kulwant Khejroliya for 2. Vidarbha require 27 more to win.

16:30 hrs IST: Vidarbha will need 29 runs to win the Ranji Trophy title for the first time as Delhi are bowled out for 280. Aditya Sarwate takes the last two wickets. What a moment for Vidarbha.

16:27 hrs IST: WICKET! The 45-run stand is broken as Vikas Mishra fals for 34 off 32. The lead is 27 and Vidarbha can breathe easy.

16:15 hrs IST: Vikas Mishra and Akash Sudan have wiped put the deficit. Good stand off 37 off 26 balls but Vidarbha need just two wickets. Can Delhi set them a target of 100?

16:04 hrs IST: Akshay Wakhare takes his fourth wicket as Navdeep Saini goes. Vidarbha two wickets away from a historic win.

15:52 hrs IST: The end is here! Manan Sharma (8) looks to drive a flighted ball through cover but gets the inside edge and knocks the off pole. Vidarbha need just three wickets for victory.

15:37 hrs IST: WICKET! Rishabh Pant goes and that is it for Delhi one feels. Vidarbha need four wickets to seal a historic Ranji Trophy title. Rishbah Pant goes after a length ball angled across, the edge flies to short third man and Siddesh Neral gets the wicket. Vidarbha are jubilant.

15:31 hrs IST: Vidarbha have struck again. Offspinner Wakhare gets the wicket of Himmat Singh – who scored a half-century in the first innings. Rishabh Pant still stands in Vidarbha’s way. If he goes, then it’ll be all over for Delhi.The skipper needs to lead from the front. Gurbani is getting some purchase off the pitch. Can he get the danger-man?

Latest Scores: Delhi 295 and 213/5 (Rana 64, Pant 27*, Wakhare 2/57) trail by 39 runs vs Vidarbha 547

14:50 hrs IST: That’s the end of the second session. It was going in Delhi’s favour before both Dhruv Shorey and Nitish Rana fell in quick succession. Resuming at 74/2, Shorey and Nitish Rana played positively and brought up their half-centuries. The intent from the seven-time Ranji Trophy champions was clear. They played attacking cricket and succeeded. Shorey looked set to get a big one before edging one off left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate to the wicket-keeper Akshay Wadkar. He scored 62, studded with 10 boundaries. Rana fell in the final over before tea. Was a fuller delivery from Gurbani, the left-handed batsman looked to drive it through cover but instead edged it straight to Wadkar. It was all about being patient. Vidarbha bowlers, probably a bit wayward, were at the target for most of the session. Delhi are in all sorts of trouble now. They’ll probably go past the 252-run mark but it remains to be seen if there’s someone who can score a daddy ton. (Pant maybe?)

Latest Scores: Delhi 295 and 189/4 (Rana 64, Gurbani 2/63, Sarwate 1/28) trail by 63 runs vs Vidarbha 547

13:56 hrs IST: Good short period for Delhi. Jaffer has dropped yet another catch. Shorey has hit fifty. He reached the landmark in the 41st over with a single towards mid-on for a quick single. Rana has also played very well. Looks set for a big score. This partnership has helped the Rishabh Pant-led side stay afloat. Both batsmen have taken calculated risks and that has been the key. For Vidarbha, someone needs to produce a magical spell (maybe another Gurbani hat-trick?)

Latest Scores: Delhi 295 and 157/2 (Shorey 60*, Rana 45*) trail by 95 runs vs Vidarbha 547

13:19 hrs IST: Sloppy fielding from Vidarbha. Delhi would’ve been four down by now. After Rana, Shorey got an extra life when Wasim Jaffer the Delhi No 3 at first slip. Both batsmen have played sensible cricket so far. Have respected the good balls and punished the loose ones. Their partnership is nearing 100. No cause of concern for Vidarbha. The bowlers just need to stick to their basics and bowl wicket to wicket.Matter of time before someone strikes.

Latest Scores: Delhi 285 and 123/2 (Rana 38*, Wakhare 1/37) trail by 129 vs Vidarbha 547

12:45 hrs IST: Rajneesh Gurbani & Co have kept things tight. Only 10 runs in the six overs post-lunch session. Nitish Rana handed an extra life after being dropped at short leg. The left-handed batsman should look to make the most of it.On the other hand, Dhruv Shorey has looked steady but needs to score at a fast rate.Vidarbha captain Faiz Fazal has been good with his field settings.

Latest Scores: Delhi 295 and 89/2 (Rana 23*, Wakhare 1/24, Gurbani 1/45) trail by 163 vs Vidarbha 547

11:35 hrs IST: That’s the end of the first session. Delhi have lost both their openers (but are effectively three down). Chandela and Gambhir got the seven-time champions off to a steady start before Wakhare struck to get the right-handed batsman. Gambhir, who suffered a thumb injury while fielding on Sunday, looked in good touch – smashing seven boundaries in no time. But Gurbani, who took a hat-trick in the first innings, got the wicket of the former Delhi captain for 36. The ball was missing the leg stump but Gurbani wouldn’t mind it.

Dhruv Shorey and Nitish Rana played sensibly to ensure Delhi didn’t lose any more wickets till lunch. With captain Rishabh Pant and Himmat Singh yet to come, Delhi would hope to put on a fight. Earlier, Vidarbha were all out for 547. Wicket-keeper batsman Akshay Wadkar scored 133 while Siddesh Neral got out for 74.Last year, Gujarat won their maiden Ranji Trophy title with a five-wicket win over Mumbai in the final. This year, Vidarbha – who are yet to win the championship – are well on course to create history.

Latest Scores: Delhi 295 and 74/2 at lunch (Wakhare 1/13, Gurbani 1/43) trail by 178 vs Vidarbha 547

10:46 hrs IST: It’s all going Vidarbha’s way. Offspinner Akshay Wakhare struck early to get rid of Kunal Chandela. The right-handed batsman looked to clear the long-off boundary but didn’t get enough power on the shot. The fielder at mid-off, Rajneesh Gurbani, ran a few steps back to complete a neat catch. A poor end to an otherwise a good season for Chandela. Vidarbha nine good balls away now. On the other hand, Gautam Gambhir has started off well. The former Delhi captain is playing at a strike-rate of above 100 and has hit five boundaries so far. He holds the key here. Dhruv Shorey, who scored a century in the first innings, will look to put on a big partnership with Gambhir.

Latest Scores: Delhi 295 and 33/1 (Gambhir 23*, Wakhare 1/13) trail by runs 219 vs Vidarbha 547

10:35 hrs IST: Poor shot by Kunal Chandela. Akshay Wakhare flights a fuller ball outside off and Chandela lofts it straight to Rajneesh Gurbani at long off. Delhi are effectively two down, with Manan Sharma not batting due to an injured knee.

Latest score: (Delhi 295, 32/1), trail Vidarbha (547 all out) by 220 runs

09:57 AM IST: That’s the end of Vidarbha’s innings. They finish with a 252-run lead. Resuming the day at 528/7, Siddhesh Neral got an early lifeline when Kulwant Khejroliya overstepped in the 159th over. Neral then scored four boundaries in no time before being dismissed by Navdeep Saini for 74, studded with eight boundaries and four sixes. Wadkar, who scored his maiden first-class century on Sunday, also couldn’t last long as he fell to Khejroliya for 133. Saini finished Vidarbha’s innings by removing Aditya Thakare. The right-arm fast bowler ended with the figures of 5/135. Even if this match ends in a draw, Vidarbha will clinch the title on the basis of the first innings lead. Delhi are already a man short – with allrounder Manan Sharma being ruled out due to a knee injury. Tough task for Gautam Gambhir and captain Rishabh Pant. Delhi’s batting hasn’t clicked as a unit and this is the best time to do something special.

Latest Scores: Vidarbha 547 all out (Wadkar 133, Sarwate 79, Saini 5/135) lead Delhi (295) by 252 runs

09:30 AM IST: Problems pile on for Delhi. Kulwant Khejroliya oversteps again. Siddhesh Neral had his middle stump rattled but is third time lucky. This is a disappointing show from the left-arm pacer. On the other hand, Vidarbha have come out with a clear mind. Neral and Akshay Wadkar are going after the bowlers. Get a feeling declaration could come in the next half an hour or so. Four boundaries for Neral in the session so far. He’s inching close to the three-figure mark. Vidarbha would be itching to finish this match today itself. They’ve done a brilliant job throughout the season and deserve to called winners. For Delhi, it’s a humongous task. They need to score at least 350 runs till stumps to make a match out of it.

Latest Scores: Vidarbha 547/7 (Wadkar 133*, Neral 74*) lead Delhi (295) by 252 runs

Earlier on Day 3, Vidarbha lost Akshay Wakhare and Wasim Jaffer early but Wadkar and Aditya Sarwate played well and helped the first-time finalists go past Delhi’s total of 295 in the first session itself.

The duo stitched together a 169-run partnership, the highest for the seventh wicket for Vidarbha this season, putting them firmly in control.

Later, Wadkar and Siddesh Neral put on an unbeaten 113-run stand. Neral, who hit his maiden fifty, remained unbeaten on 56.