Dhawal Kulkarni
Dhawal Kulkarni ended his fabulous first-class career when he was touched by Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane’s gesture to replace Tushar Deshpande in the Ranji Trophy final.
Dhawal Kulkarni broke through Umesh Yadav’s defense and smashed his leg-stump, ending Mumbai’s eight-year wait for a Ranji Trophy title.
Dhawal Kulkarni left the field with tears in his eyes and ended his first-class career as Mumbai won their 42nd Ranji Trophy title.
“A cricketer’s dream is to start and finish well. This is my sixth final, our fifth win, and it will be dear for me. It was a great gesture that I didn’t expect (Rahane gave him the ball to finish the game) but I am thankful to Tushar for giving me the ball despite losing two wickets in one match. I have experience of playing with big stars and they have shared a lot of experience with me, and I have passed that on to the younger players,” said Kulkarni after the match.
YOUNG MUSHEER KHAN OVERTOOK MUMBAI’S SACHIN TENDULKAR TO WIN THE RANJI TROPHY IN THE LAST CENTURY.
Overall, Kulkarni took three wickets in the first innings and conceded just 15 runs in 11 overs, making it a memorable finale. The 35-year-old conceded a run in the second innings but ended up conceding his first run after Umesh lost his wicket to the experienced pacer.
Going into the final day, Mumbai were left frustrated after Vidarbha captain Akshay Wadkar and Harsh Dubey fought valiantly not to lose a single wicket in the first session as they chased down 537.
However, following Wadkar’s dismissal (102), Vidarbha lost their remaining wickets in five overs during a bowling practice session in Mumbai.
Mumbai ended their eight-year wait for a Ranji Trophy title with a 169-run win.