Shams Mulani (left) single-handedly led Mumbai to victoryImage Credit source: PTI

Ranji Trophy 2025: Although cricket is a game of competition between 11-11 players, but sometimes just one player proves to be a big difference. This is often seen especially in ODI and T20 formats. But when a player does this in the longer format, it is very special. Especially when that player shows his talent in bowling as well as batting and makes the team win, then what can we say. Mumbai bowling all-rounder Shams Mulani did exactly this in the very first match of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season. He not only scored the most runs for the team, but also led Mumbai to victory by taking the most wickets with his bowling.

7 wickets taken in the second innings

In this match of Elite Group D played in Srinagar, 41-time Ranji Trophy champion Mumbai defeated Jammu and Kashmir by a close margin of 35 runs on the last day. Jammu and Kashmir had a target of 243 runs to win. But left arm spinner Shams Mulani foiled all his efforts. Mulani, in his spell of 20.4 overs, dismissed 7 batsmen of Jammu and Kashmir and bundled out the entire team for just 207 runs and saved Mumbai from a shocking defeat.

Runs scored in both innings

But even before this feat, experienced spinner Shams Mulani had shown his strength in the match. Mulani scored the most runs in this match for the Mumbai team full of powerful batsmen like Ajinkya Rahane, Sarfaraz Khan, Siddhesh Lad and Musheer Khan. Before the match, questions were being raised about his place in the team but he showed his magic in the very first match. In the first innings, Mulani played an excellent inning of 91 runs and made a partnership of 159 runs with Siddhesh Lad. Then in the second innings he scored the maximum of 41 runs for the team.

Best performance of career

In bowling also, he was seen making an impact from the first innings itself. This 28 year old spinner had taken 2 wickets in the first innings. In this way, he scored the maximum 132 runs for Mumbai in the match and also took maximum 9 wickets and gave the team a good start with victory. Mulani took 5 or more wickets in an innings for the 17th time in his first class career. Not only this, taking 7 wickets in this innings is also the best performance of his career.