Ranji Trophy: Parthiv Patel hundred takes Gujarat to maiden title - Gujarat have lifted the Ranji

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Gujarat have lifted the Ranji Trophy for the first time in their history, beating domestic heavyweights Mumbai by five wickets on the last day of the final at Indore's Holkar Stadium. This stunning victory came on Saturday, the last day of this engaging summit clash, with Gujarat captain Parthiv Patel scoring an excellent 143 to help Gujarat chase down 312.

In This Pic : Parthiv Patel

Pic Courtesy : BCCL

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It capped a memorable season for Parthiv's team, one that began in the first week of October with a hard-earned three points in a draw with Baroda in Jaipur and featured victories over Railways, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and now the defending champions. Parthiv has become the first Gujarat captain to lift the coveted trophy, and this win against the odds bore his stamp: a first-innings 90 to help his team take the lead, seven dismissals and a sparkling hundred to complete the win.

In This Pic : Ranji trophy

Pic Courtesy : BCCL

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This achievement also makes Gujarat the first team to have won all three major domestic titles, the Vijay Hazare Trophy (they are defending champions) and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (twice) being the others.

In This Pic : Ranji trophy

Pic Courtesy : PTI

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The final appeared, in the view of many, a mismatch on paper. Mumbai, 41 time winners, in their 46th final. Five titles in the last 10 years. Gujarat, perennial competitors but rarely title contenders, in their second final in 83 years of the competition. A team, mind you, missing their two most influential bowlers in Jasprit Bumrah (on India duty) and Axar Patel (injured).

In This Pic : Ranji trophy

Pic Courtesy : BCCL

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Before this, Mumbai had ended runners-up in just four Ranji finals, the last instance being in 1990-91 when they were left heartbroken and in tears - literally, in Dilip Vengsarkar's case - in a humdinger against Haryana. The others were in 1982-93 against Karnataka, 1979-80 against Delhi and in 1947-48 against erstwhile Holkar. Between the 1958-59 and 1972-73 seasons, Mumbai won 15 consecutive Ranji Trophy titles. Fifteen. Gujarat's only appearance in a final was back in 1950-51 when they lost to Holkar by 189 runs.

In This Pic : Ranji trophy

Pic Courtesy : PTI