Ranji Trophy Semi-Final: Mohammed Shami Shines as Jammu and Kashmir Fight Back Against Bengal
On the second day of the Ranji Trophy semi-final between Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir, Mohammed Shami displayed his bowling prowess by taking three crucial wickets. Despite his efforts, Jammu and Kashmir managed to reach a respectable total of 198 for 5, setting up an intriguing contest for the third day.
Bengal’s First Innings:
Bengal concluded their first innings at 328 after starting the day at 249 for 5. Auqib Nabi was the standout performer, claiming 5/87 in 26 overs and achieving the milestone of 50 wickets in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season.
Sudip Kumar Gharami, Bengal’s in-form batsman, added just 10 runs to his overnight score of 136 before falling to Nabi. Despite a brief resistance from Sumanta Gupta, Bengal couldn’t capitalize on their position.
Jammu and Kashmir’s Response:
When Jammu and Kashmir came out to bat, Shami made early inroads by dismissing both openers cheaply. However, a resilient partnership between Paras Dogra and Abdul Samad turned the tide in Jammu and Kashmir’s favor.
Samad’s aggressive stroke play against Shami and Mukesh Kumar, coupled with Dogra’s steady presence, helped Jammu and Kashmir recover from a precarious position. Dogra also reached a significant milestone of 10,000 runs in the Ranji Trophy.
Bengal’s Tactical Errors:
Bengal captain Abhimanyu Easwaran’s defensive tactics backfired as Samad and Dogra counter-attacked with freedom. Easwaran’s decision to introduce Shahbaz Ahmed’s defensive bowling strategy proved ineffective, allowing Jammu and Kashmir to rebuild their innings.
Despite the late dismissals of Samad and Dogra, Jammu and Kashmir managed to stabilize their innings with Abid Mushtaq and Kanhaiya Wadhawan’s partnership.
Conclusion:
With the match finely poised going into the third day, both teams will be looking to gain the upper hand. Bengal will need to regroup and come up with a more aggressive strategy to dismiss the Jammu and Kashmir batsmen, while the latter will aim to build a substantial lead and put pressure on the opposition.
Overall, the Ranji Trophy semi-final promises an exciting contest between two evenly matched teams, with individual performances likely to play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the match.
Keywords: Ranji Trophy, Mohammed Shami, Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Semi-Final, Cricket
