Sachin Tendulkar and Dilip Vengsarkar in the final match (Source: @IndiaHistorypic/x.com)
Every team steps onto the field chasing thrilling victories, defeats, and draws aren't part of the plan. But victories and defeats are the two sides of a coin; sometimes players face tough lessons along the way.
Over the years, Mumbai has been the epitome of Ranji Trophy excellence, but it has sometimes faced some of the cruellest moments of cricket. In the 1990-91 Ranji Trophy final, one horrific run-out dashed their biggest dream.
Even as the opponents snatched away their nearly won match, Dilip Vengsarkar's heartbreak remains etched in fans' memories. Let's have a look at the painful final.
First innings turns into a battle of batting giants
Since the first season of the Ranji Trophy, Mumbai just owned the tournament with its own excellence. With every brilliance, they proved why they are called one of the best domestic cricket teams. In the Ranji Trophy finals, Mumbai wrote the tale of their bravery, but sometimes the big stage caused their biggest heartbreak, just as they felt in the 1990-91 Ranji Trophy final.
In the final match of the Ranji Trophy, Dilip Vengsarkar’s Mumbai met Kapil Dev’s Haryana, and the first innings was a pure batting show. While batting first, Haryana lost an early wicket, but after that, Deepak Sharma and Ajay Jadeja’s 176-run partnership turned the tide.
After Jadeja missed a well-deserved century, Deepak Sharma faced an even bigger heartbreak, losing a double hundred by one run. Despite the near misses, Haryana rallied strongly, posting a massive total of 522, anchored by Chetan Sharma’s brilliant 98-run innings.
Coming to bowl in the first innings, Haryana bowlers eyed redemption, but Mumbai batters flipped the script. After Shishir Hattangadi scored 28 runs, Lalchand Rajput and Sanjay Patil’s partnership made a big difference. Adding to this, Sachin Tendulkar’s 47 and Chandrakant Pandit’s unbeaten 40 helped them score 410 runs.
Vengsarkar’s 139* in vain as Haryana claim Ranji trophy
As the final was spreading unreal thrills, Mumbai needed 355 runs to claim another Ranji trophy title. As they stepped into the second innings with eyes on the coveted trophy, Haryana bowlers spoiled the party. After Kapil Dev and Chetan Sharma secured three early wickets, Mumbai faced an early struggle.
Standing at that crucial point, Dilip Vengsarkar emerged as Mumbai’s last hope. With the batting lineup reeling under successive blows, he steadied the innings, first crafting a half-century and then unleashing a brilliant century, and Mumbai got a significant boost.
As the Mumbai batter was swinging his bat on high, the Haryana bowlers were eager to send him back. On that day, Vengsarkar defied all the odds but still the destiny turned out to be cruel. As he was holding his grip tight, the other batters failed to associate him.
Standing at one point, Mumbai suffered its biggest heartbreak. With Abey Kuruvilla and Dilip Vengsarkar at the crease and just three runs from victory, dreams of glory were crushed when Kuruvilla was dismissed in a devastating run-out.
That run-out shattered Mumbai’s dream of lifting the trophy, leaving Vengsarkar in tears. In a nail-biting finish, Haryana lifted the prestigious Ranji Trophy title with a narrow 2-run victory.
