Ranji Trophy Final: J&K's Yawer and Pundir Secure 104/1 at Lunch Against Karnataka
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Hubli, Feb 24 (NationPress) On Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy final, Jammu & Kashmir achieved a commendable score of 104/1 at lunch, thanks to the steady performances by Yawer Hassan and Shubham Pundir against the formidable Karnataka, who are eight-time champions. The match took place at the Hubli Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
Choosing to bat first, Jammu & Kashmir got off to a solid start. Openers Qamran Iqbal and Yawer Hassan faced a challenging period against the new ball, but they successfully navigated through the initial 10 overs. However, Iqbal was dismissed by Prasidh Krishna after scoring six runs. Meanwhile, Hassan remained unbeaten at 57, receiving excellent support from Pundir, who was not out at 38. The pair built an impressive 86-run partnership for the second wicket when the lunch break was called.
The bowling attack for Karnataka was initiated by Vidhyadhar Patil and Vyshak Vijay Kumar, both of whom generated significant movement from the pitch. Karnataka had an early appeal for a catch behind when Qamran attempted to defend a delivery, and the umpire adjudged him out without hesitation. However, Qamran consulted Yawer and decided to challenge the decision with just two seconds remaining. The review revealed a notable gap between bat and ball, leading the umpire to overturn the decision to not out.
After approximately 45 minutes of play, Karnataka made their first breakthrough when Prasidh Krishna dismissed Qamran. The opener struggled to find his footing and, after looking more settled, misjudged the extra bounce from Prasidh, resulting in a simple catch to KL Rahul at second slip.
Following Qamran's departure, the J&K batsmen exercised caution, selectively punishing loose deliveries. Yawer, despite being beaten on a few occasions, appeared more confident and reached his first-class half-century with a single off Shreyas Gopal in the 27th over.
Both Pundir and Yawer consistently added runs, enabling J&K to hit the 100 mark before the lunch break. Karnataka's trio of pacers bowled disciplined spells but could only secure the single wicket, leaving J&K well-positioned at 104/1 at lunch.
Brief scores: Jammu & Kashmir 104/1 (Yawer Hassan 57* and Shubham Pundir 38*; Prasidh Krishna 1-20) against Karnataka at Lunch