Captain Wasim Jaffer and in-form Ajinkya Rahane stitched together an 82-run stand off 57 balls to help Mumbai thrash Punjab by nine wickets in their Ranji Trophy Elite Division Group A match at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
The home team, handicapped by the poor light conditions on Saturday evening which prevented them from taking the new ball, did it promptly this morning and terminated the Punjab second innings in six overs.
The visitors, 363 for eight overnight, were dismissed for 382 with Uday Kaul stranded unbeaten on a superb 136, studded with 20 fours.
Kaul, who resumed on 117, added 19 runs to his individual tally but lost Sarabjit Singh Ladda who was run out off the sixth ball.
Last man Varun Khanna fell for a duck, edging Usman Malvi to Mumbai stumper Vinayak Samant, to bring to an end the Punjab innings. Kaul was not out after having occupied the crease for 229 minutes and facing 196 balls.
Needing 149 to win, Mumbai rattled up 151 for the loss of opener Samant's wicket.
Samant (13) fell to Amanpreet Singh with Mumbai on 21 in the tenth over.
Jaffer (52 in 74 balls with nine fours) and Rahane, who made 80 in the first innings, followed up with another attractive and swift 82 off only off 57 balls with 17 fours to guide Mumbai home easily.
Mumbai, who secured five points from the tie, topped the pool with 31 points and would clash with Plate Division finalist Himachal Pradesh in the quarter-final tie at Ahmedabad from December 26-29.
Punjab were eliminated after ending up with 12 points from seven matches.
Scores: Punjab 202 and 382. Mumbai 436 and 151 for one.
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