Irani Cup: Pacers Mukesh, Akash help RoI beat J&K by nine wickets to win title

Mukesh Kumar. Pic/AFP

India pacers Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep shared nine wickets between them as Rest of India swatted aside reigning Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir by 167 runs on the fourth day to clinch the Irani Cup here on Sunday.

Chasing 279 runs, Jammu and Kashmir just needed to hang in for a draw to lift the trophy by virtue of their 41-run first innings lead. But Mukesh (6/33) and Akash (25) ripped J&K's batting unit in a sensational spell to bowl the hosts out for 111.

Openers Shubham Khajuria (32) and Qamran Iqbal (32) shared a 54-run opening wicket stand as the home side looked well-placed for a favourable result. But Akash trapped Iqbal in front of the wicket to snap the alliance.

Mukesh inflicted a double blow on J&K just before lunch, taking out Shubham Pundir and skipper Paras Dogra off successive deliveries in the 15th over. Dogra received a stunner, as the delivery moved away just enough to beat the defence of Dogra to disturb the middle-stump.

J&K went into lunch at 89 for three in 19 overs with Khajuria (36) and Abdul Samad (6) at the crease. But Khajuria succumbed to Akash in the first ball after lunch, and it sparked a manic collapse as J&K lost the next six wickets for a mere 22 runs in the next nine overs.

Akash's intense effort in the match - six wickets across 23.3 overs - will please the national management ahead of the upcoming tour to New Zealand as the pacer now seems to have recovered well enough to be considered for selection.

Earlier, RoI, starting from overnight 306 for eight, did not bat too long, getting bundled out for 319 in their second innings. Umar Nazir, Sunil Kumar and Sahil Lotra took three wickets apiece but RoI produced an even better effort with the ball a tad later to emerge worthy winners.

Brief scores:
Rest of India: 237 and 319 beat Jammu and Kashmir: 278 and 111 all out in 28.4 overs (Shubham Khajuria 36; Mukesh Kumar 6/33, Akash Deep 3/25) by 167 runs.

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