Srinagar, Nov 5: Powered by magnificent centuries from Qamran Iqbal and Shubham Khajuria and a six-wicket haul from Sunil Kumar, Jammu and Kashmir secured a first-innings win over Pondicherry in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group match, which ended in a draw on Thursday at the Sher-i-Kashmir Cricket Stadium.
Resuming their first innings at 491 for five on the final day, J&K added 64 runs before declaring at 555 for six, setting Pondicherry a challenging task of overcoming the deficit to avoid defeat.
The visitors, however, displayed resilience in their second innings, reaching 269 for six in 65 overs before the match ended in a draw, with J&K awarded the first-innings victory.
J&K’s batting effort was led by openers Qamran Iqbal and Shubham Khajuria, who had smashed magnificent centuries on the previous day. Qamran scored 160, while Shubham contributed 190, laying the foundation for the hosts’ imposing total.
Kawalpreet Singh, who resumed the innings unbeaten on 53, went on to score 70 , helping J&K extend their lead before the declaration.
Chasing the deficit, Pondicherry’s top order struggled against the J&K bowling attack, losing wickets at regular intervals.
Ankit Sharma top-scored with 62 off 120 deliveries, while Aman Khan remained unbeaten on 52 off 54 balls. Ritesh Gudge contributed 38, and wicketkeeper Prasad Pawar added 32 to provide some resistance.
J&K’s frontline bowlers made regular inroads into the Pondicherry batting line-up, with debutant Waseem Khanday and Umar Nazir claiming two wickets each.
Umar finished with figures of two for 62, while Waseem took two for 35. Sunil Kumar, who had claimed six wickets in the first innings, added another wicket to his tally, finishing with figures of one for 45. Rohit Sharma also picked up a wicket.
The visitors eventually reached 269 for six, leaving J&K with a substantial first-innings advantage and the match ending in a draw.
The result provides J&K with a valuable boost in their campaign after a difficult start to the season. The hosts had managed just two points from their first three matches, with their batting unit struggling to produce consistent performances.
The match, however, offered encouraging signs, particularly through the opening partnership between Qamran and Shubham, while Sunil Kumar’s six-wicket haul underlined the strength of the bowling attack.
J&K will now look to carry the momentum from the performance into their remaining Ranji Trophy fixtures.
