Irani Cup: Prithvi Shaw fails courtesy of Devdutt Padikkal’s stunning catch (Source: X/Twitter)
The highly competitive Indian domestic season moved forward, as Irani Cup 2024-25 got underway on Tuesday, October 01 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Defending Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai took on the Rest Of India. The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side won the toss on an overcast morning in Lucknow and invited Mumbai to bat first.
With toss and conditions both going in ROI’s favor, their pacers’ job was simple – to hit the outside off-stump line consistently and invite the batter to drive. In came the Mumbai openers Prithvi Shaw and 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre. The senior of the lot, however, could not partner for long with Mhatre, as Mukesh Kumar struck on the first ball of the third over itself, while Mumbai had put just six runs on the board.
Prithvi Shaw, who was facing Mukesh, went for the drive only to find a thickish outside edge, which went towards the slip cordon, where two of the fielders were placed. Devdutt Padikkal, standing at second slip, saw the opportunity of the ball coming towards him, and showing acrobatic reflexes, grabbed the ball while diving towards his right to cause the fall of the first wicket, as Shaw returned after scoring just four off seven balls, which came off a boundary.
Watch Devdutt Padikkal’s catch off Prithvi Shaw’s bat here:
WHAT. A. CATCH 🔥
Devdutt Padikkal pulls off a stunning catch in slips to dismiss Prithvi Shaw 👏
Mukesh Kumar gets the early breakthrough 👌
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/Er0EHGOrUJ#IraniCup | @devdpd07 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/0Qk0cwqcMH
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) October 1, 2024
Mukesh Kumar makes morning session his own with three wickets
Meanwhile, the next batter in was Hardik Tamore and the wicketkeeper-batter’s stay at the crease was shorter than that of Shaw. Three balls into the middle, Tamore edged one to his opposition counterpart Dhruv Jurel, who took a simple catch behind the wickets. His dismissal meant Mukesh Kumar struck twice in the over and gave early troubles to the Ranji champions.
At the time of writing, Mhatre was batting alongside Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane, but Mukesh Kumar struck once again, as the opener miscued one up in the air, once again caught by Jurel running back. Mhatre departed for 19 runs in the twelfth over with the team losing the third wicket for just 37 runs, as Shreyas Iyer came in to join his skipper, who is currently batting on 12.