Ranji Trophy
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 7: Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi put on a masterclass with the ball, running through Madhya Pradesh’s batting lineup to give his team a first-innings advantage in their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal here today. His sensational spell set the tone for a gripping contest between the two sides.
The 29-year-old from Kreeri, J&K, returned figures of 7 for 40, decimating MP for 152 and dismissing key batsmen including skipper Rajat Patidar, India all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, Aryan Pandey and Ramveer Gurjar. Left-arm pacer Sunil Kumar (3/47) also chipped in with crucial wickets.
Despite Nabi’s heroics, J&K struggled in their second innings, collapsing to 84 for 5, leaving them with a slender overall lead of 126. MP pacer Kuldeep Sen (2/25), who had taken five wickets in the first innings, and Venkatesh Iyer (2/10) struck back, keeping Madhya Pradesh in contention for an outright win.
Nabi, fresh from securing a multi-crore deal with Delhi Capitals for the upcoming IPL season, remained the standout performer of the day.
BRIEF SCORES:
J&K 194 & 84/5 in 26 overs (Kuldeep Sen 2/25, Venkatesh Iyer 2/10); MP 152 all out in 53.4 overs (Yash Dubey 58; Auqib Nabi 7/40, Sunil Kumar 3/47).
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