Srinagar, Oct 18 (IANS) Left-arm spinner Shams Mulani produced a sensational seven-wicket haul to spin Mumbai to a 35-run victory over Jammu & Kashmir in the opening round of the Ranji Trophy at the Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar on Saturday.

On the fourth and final day of the Elite Group-D clash, the hosts, who resumed at 21 for one overnight while chasing 243, were bowled out for 207 as Mumbai recorded their first-ever win over J&K in three meetings.

Mulani’s match-winning spell of 20.4-4-46-7 underlined his class and composure on a pitch offering variable turn. J&K appeared to be stabilising when Qamran Iqbal and Paras Dogra added 53 runs for the third wicket, but captain Shardul Thakur’s decision to bring on spinners Mulani and Tanush Kotian proved decisive. The introduction of spin shifted momentum decisively in Mumbai’s favour.

The morning session also saw rare drama — in the 26th over, Qamran was adjudged out for obstructing the field after using his hand to block Sarfaraz Khan’s throw from square-leg. However, after a heated exchange, Mumbai withdrew their appeal, allowing the batter to continue. That reprieve didn’t last long; in the very next over, Mulani ripped one through Dogra’s forward defence to shatter the stumps.

Before lunch, Kotian removed Abdul Samad while Mulani dismissed Kanhaiya Wadhawan, reducing J&K to 127 for five in 41 overs. The slide continued soon after the break. Mulani struck again in the second over of the session, spinning one sharply past Qamran Iqbal’s bat to hit the off stump. He then dismissed Abid Mushtaq, who miscued to Sarfaraz at midwicket, and sent Yudhvir Singh packing the very next ball to complete his five-for.

Although Auqib Nabi tried to fight back, launching two sixes in a spirited last-wicket stand of 30 runs with Umar Nazir, Mulani fittingly sealed the contest by trapping Nazir leg-before to end the innings on 207.

–IANS

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