J&K reach their maiden Ranji Trophy semi-finals: Decoding their journey
What's the story
In a historic achievement, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) have entered the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy for the first time in 67 years. The team achieved this feat by defeating former champions Madhya Pradesh by 56 runs in an exciting quarter-final match at Indore's Holkar Stadium. The victory came after a dramatic collapse from MP and a stellar performance from seamer Auqib Nabi, who took 12 wickets in the match. Here we decode J&K's journey to the semis.
Journey
J&K's run to the semis
J&K were placed in Elite Group D, where they finished second with three wins, as many draws, and a solitary defeat across seven games. While they finished with 24 points, Mumbai topped the table with 33. Notably, J&K's only loss this came in their opener against none other than Mumbai. Their triumphs in the league stage came against Rajasthan (by an innings and 41 runs), Delhi (by 7 wickets), and Hyderabad (by 281 runs).
Summary
How did the semi-final pan out?
J&K were folded for 194 while batting first, with Shubham Khajuria top-scoring with 60. Yudhvir Singh Charak made a vital 41 at number 10. In reply, Madhya Pradesh were bowled out for 152, with Nabi's seven-fer giving J&K a 42-run first-innings lead. Abid Mushtaq (41) and Vanshraj Sharma's (54*) crucial knocks meant J&K's second innings ended at 248/10. Chasing 291 for victory, MP could only manage 234/10 as Nabi claimed five more wickets.
Match details
A look at the key performers
Nabi, the second-leading wicket-taker of the season, has raced to 46 wickets in the season. His average of 12.54 is the best among bowlers with at least 22 scalps. Sunil Kumar (22 wickets at 16.81) and Abid Mushtaq (19 at 24.89) have also made the ball talk. With 543 runs at 54.30, Abdul Samad is the team's leading run-getter in the season. Skipper Paras Dogra (484 runs at 44) and Abid Mushtaq (390 at 39) have also contributed well.
Information
Can J&K ace Bengal challenge in semis?
J&K will take on an in-form Bengal team in the second semi-final, starting on 15 February. The former qualified after securing a massive first-innings lead over Andhra. The other semi-final fixture will feature Uttarakhand against Karnataka.