Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep lead Rest of India to Irani Cup victory

Rest of India defeated the Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir by 167 runs to win the Irani Cup at Srinagar's Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium. Chasing a target of 279 runs, the home team started strongly with openers Qamran Iqbal and Shubham Khajuria scoring 54 runs in the first 10 overs.

Turning Point

The match changed after a drinks break in the 13th year when bowler Mukesh Kumar asked stand-in captain Sarfaraz Khan for one more over. Kumar took two wickets in that single over, trapping Shubham Pundir leg-before-wicket and bowling J&K captain Paras Dogra. Akash Deep also removed Khajuria and Sahil Lotra, while Mukesh Choudhary dismissed Abdul Samad for 20 runs. Kumar finished with figures of six wickets for 33 runs, claiming his 11th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket as Jammu and Kashmir were bowled out for 111.

Context

Red-ball domestic cricket matches often turn quickly during a single session when fast bowlers find movement off the pitch. The Irani Cup traditionally matches the reigning Ranji Trophy champions against a Rest of India team composed of top players from across the country.