HomeSportsShardul Thakur's Spectacular Form Continues with Second-Over Hat-Trick in Mumbai’s Must-Win Ranji...

Shardul Thakur’s Spectacular Form Continues with Second-Over Hat-Trick in Mumbai’s Must-Win Ranji Trophy

Mumbai pacer Shardul Thakur delivered a sensational performance on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy encounter against Meghalaya, securing a stunning hat-trick to put his team in a commanding position at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy BKC, Mumbai, on Thursday.

The 33-year-old, renowned for delivering in crucial moments, dismantled Meghalaya’s batting lineup early in the innings, bolstering Mumbai’s push for a much-needed win to stay in the hunt for the knockout stage.’

Opening the attack after Mumbai elected to bowl, Thakur struck in his very first over, dismissing opener Nishanta Chakraborty for a four-ball duck. However, the real breakthrough came in the third over, when he registered his maiden first-class hat-trick, removing B Anirudh, Sumit Kumar, and Jaskirat in consecutive deliveries—all without scoring. His fiery spell left Meghalaya reeling and handed Mumbai early control of the match.

With this feat, Thakur became only the fifth Mumbai bowler to take a Ranji Trophy hat-trick, the last being Royston Dias in the 2023-24 season. Meghalaya was eventually bundled out for just 86 runs in the first innings.

Thakur’s Red-Hot Form This Season

Thakur’s heroics add to his outstanding all-round performances this season. He has already scored 297 runs, including a century and two fifties, while also picking up 20 wickets. His recent exploits include a blazing hundred in Mumbai’s last match, a shock defeat to Jammu and Kashmir, which left their qualification chances hanging by a thread.

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Mumbai’s Qualification Scenario

Currently third in Group A, Mumbai must win by an innings or 10 wickets to secure a bonus point, which would put them level with J&K (29 points).

With Baroda second on 27 points, Mumbai’s qualification chances also depend on J&K and Baroda not earning more than a single point from their final-round clash in Vadodara.

Thakur’s Pre-Match Mindset

Ahead of the game, Thakur spoke about Mumbai’s approach in this do-or-die contest:

“The longer format is an emotional roller coaster—one session can change the game. Those who observe closely will learn from it. Be humble, be respectful, and never take anything or anyone lightly. The message from the coach and captain is simple: stick together and play as a team.”

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