Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 13: Southpaw Shubham Pundir displayed elegance and class and scored magnificent unbeaten 90 runs to help Jammu and Kashmir reach 184/5 and gain a lead of 302 runs at stumps on day-3 in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C match against formidable Services at Palam A Stadium, New Delhi, today.
Earlier, resuming from an overnight total of 238/9, Services added just 6 runs to the total and scored 242 runs, thus Jammu and Kashmir gained a sizeable lead of 118 runs. Arun Bamal, Arjun Sharma and Diwesh Pathania contributed 48, 47 and 41 runs to the total respectively. From Jammu and Kashmir, speedsters Mohammad Mudhasir and Umar Nazir Mir took 3 wickets each, while Aquib Nabi, Abid Mushtaq, skipper Parvez Rasool and Abdul Samad shared 1 wicket apiece.
After gaining a sizeable first innings lead, Jammu and Kashmir began the second essay on a disastrous note, losing first three wickets for just 14 runs in 7.1 overs with Shubham Khajuria (4), Suryansh Raina (4) and Henan Nazir (5) back to the pavilion, before the duo of stylish Shubham Pundir, who led the team in first four outings this season in absence of Parvez Rasool and his skipper took the score to 89 runs, when Rasool was dismissed at his individual score of 45 runs off 67 balls, studded with 6 delectable boundaries. However, Pundir continued his brilliance and added another 84 runs to the total along with wicketkeeper batsman Fazil Rashid, after the fall of Abdul Samad at his individual score of 5 runs and the team’s total of 100/5 in 33.2 overs. Pundir in particular, who as skipper before this game, has the honour of making Jammu and Kashmir win 3 matches out of the four played so far in this season, was in sublime touch and hit the ball with fluid grace and utter brilliance. He took 177 balls to score unbeaten 90 and struck 12 fours and one six in his knock. Fazil Rashid also contributed patient 25 off 88 deliveries with the help of 2 boundaries. Earlier, Rasool, who scored splendid 182 in the first innings also was in awe-inspiring form during his knock.
Diwesh Gurdev Pathania, who captured 4 wickets in the first innings, took another 3 wickets in the second essay by conceding 41 runs in his 18 overs, while Sachidanand Pandey took 2 wickets.
With one day’s play left in the match, Jammu and Kashmir have already the lead of 302 runs and have 5 wickets in their kitty, so simply in the comfort zone.
J&K will enjoy a certain edge on the final day. An outright victory or a win by virtue of first innings lead on cards.
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