Did J&K just make Ranji Trophy history by beating Delhi?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, Nov 11 (NationPress) Jammu and Kashmir has celebrated a historic milestone by securing its inaugural victory against Delhi in the annals of Ranji Trophy, triumphing by seven wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday. This win marks their second outright success of the season, propelling the team into second place in the Elite Group D standings, just behind the frontrunners, Mumbai.
After winning the toss, J&K opted to field first, and Auqib Nabi wreaked havoc on the Delhi batting order, claiming impressive figures of 5-35, with solid support from Vanshaj Sharma (2-57) and Abid Mushtaq (2-30), dismissing the hosts for 211 runs in their first innings.
Despite early losses in their batting lineup, captain Paras Dogra played a vital role with a century, scoring 106 runs off 183 balls, while Abdul Samad contributed 85 off 115 balls. Kanhaiya Wadhawan added a brisk 47 off 81 balls, allowing J&K to finish at 310 all out, establishing a 91-run lead.
In their second innings, Delhi seemed poised for success at 267/5, with skipper Ayush Badoni scoring 72 off 73 deliveries and Ayush Doseja adding 62 off 88. However, a stunning collapse saw them lose their last five wickets for a mere 10 runs, concluding at 277 and setting a target of 179 runs for J&K.
Vanshaj Sharma, the left-arm spinner, was instrumental in Delhi's downfall, achieving his third five-wicket haul in just his fourth first-class match, with figures of 6-68 sealing J&K's remarkable win.
J&K commenced Day 3 at 55/2, with Qamran Iqbal and Vanshaj set to chase 124 more runs for victory. On Day 4, Iqbal's phenomenal unbeaten 133, marking his career-best performance, led J&K to its historic win in their 43rd encounter with Delhi.
Brief scores: Delhi 211 and 277 all out (Ayush Badoni 72, Ayush Doseja 62; Vanshaj Sharma 6-68) lost to Jammu & Kashmir 310 and 179/3 (Qamran Iqbal 133 not out, Hritik Shokeen 2-52) by seven wickets.