New Delhi: The final day of Round 4 of this season’s Ranji Trophy went right down to the wire, with Madhya Pradesh joining Bengal, J&K, and Vidarbha in registering crucial victories. While some matches fizzled out into draws, others produced thrilling finishes that reshaped the group tables.
Delhi vs Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir’s steady rise in Indian domestic cricket gathered more pace on Tuesday in Delhi as the side achieved a landmark — its first-ever Ranji Trophy victory over Delhi, winning by seven wickets.
Chasing 179, J&K rode on an unbeaten 133 from opener Qamran Iqbal, his career-best knock, to seal the chase with composure and control. The foundation of the victory was laid earlier by familiar heroes. Auqib Nabi ripped through Delhi’s first innings with a fiery 5 for 35, while captain Paras Dogra’s calm 106 and Abdul Samad’s brisk 85 ensured a solid first-innings lead.
When Delhi attempted a fightback, young Vanshaj Sharma produced a telling spell of 6 for 68, dousing any hope of a turnaround.
This win marked J&K’s second outright win of the season and pushed them to second in the Elite Group D table, just behind Mumbai. The side has now beaten several heavyweight teams in recent years, including Mumbai, Baroda, Rajasthan, and Vidarbha.
Bengal vs Railways
Railways ran out of steam early on Tuesday as Bengal stormed to the top of the Elite Group C table with a thumping victory by an innings and 120 runs at the Lalbhai Contractor Stadium.
Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed was the hero, redeeming himself after an early dropped catch to pick up seven wickets before lunch, wrapping up the Railways innings and earning Bengal all seven points on offer.
Bhargav Merai’s early dismissal opened the floodgates as Karn Sharma, Upendra Yadav, Akash Pandey, Adarsh Singh, and Kunal Yadav fell in quick succession. Bengal’s intensity in the field matched Shahbaz’s control with the ball, sealing a statement victory that will be talked about for weeks to come.
Madhya Pradesh vs Goa
Madhya Pradesh maintained their winning momentum with a remarkable three-wicket victory over Goa in a tense chase. Starting the day at 21 for 1 and needing 328, MP endured constant pressure as Goa kept striking to stay in contention.
Captain Shubham Sharma steadied the innings with a crucial 72, but it was Saransh Jain who stood tall under pressure. Walking in at 176 for 4, Jain produced a match-winning 82 not out, guiding MP home in an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 65 with Arshad Khan.
For Goa, the loss was a bitter pill after having led by 97 runs in the first innings. For Madhya Pradesh, though, it was yet another display of grit and depth — hallmarks of their rise since winning the 2022 Ranji Trophy title.
Karnataka vs Maharashtra
If the penultimate day in Pune had the drama of a Bollywood thriller, the final day fizzled out quietly as Karnataka and Maharashtra settled for a draw in their Group B encounter at the MCA Stadium.
Karnataka, prioritising safety, batted through the final day with Mayank Agarwal’s 103 (249b, 8×4, 1×6) and Abhinav Manohar’s 96 (161b, 11×4, 2×6) leading a steady resistance. Their 92-run partnership ensured Karnataka’s slender 13-run first-innings lead held firm.
Despite Maharashtra’s bowlers, particularly Jalaj Saxena and Vicky Ostwal, probing for breakthroughs, Karnataka’s resilience prevailed as the teams shook hands early, Karnataka taking three points, Maharashtra one.
Rajasthan vs Hyderabad
Rajasthan’s chase of 340 against Hyderabad promised excitement but ended in a draw, with the visitors bowled out for 207. Early partnerships of 79 and 94 for the first two wickets gave Rajasthan hope, but the target proved too steep.
Salman Khan top-scored with 79, while Mahipal Lomror impressed with four wickets in Hyderabad’s second innings. The Player of the Match went to Rahul Radesh for his brilliant 129 in the first innings, which had given Hyderabad early control.
Vidarbha vs Odisha
In Nagpur, Vidarbha completed a 100-run win over Odisha, collecting six points. After being behind in the first innings, Vidarbha’s bowlers sparked a strong comeback.
Left-arm spinner Parth Rekhade took his maiden five-for in First-Class cricket, while Praful Hinge chipped in with three wickets. Despite Odisha’s openers adding 100, a middle-order collapse of 5 for 39 ended their hopes of chasing down 345.
Dhruv Shorey was named Player of the Match for his twin centuries — 144 and 101.
(IANS)
