Ranji trophy: J&K secure 7-wicket victory over Meghalaya

Jammu and Kashmir claimed a 7-wicket victory over Meghalaya on the third morning of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match at the MCA Ground in Polo, Shillong. Resuming at 16/1 with only 75 runs needed to win, J&K took just an hour to reach the target despite losing two wickets to Meghalaya's Akash Kumar Choudhary, who finished with figures of 2/36.

Akash dismissed Ahmad Omar Banday, caught at mid-off, and had Abdul Samad caught going for a big shot after hitting a six. Dippu Sangma had taken J&K's first wicket on the second day, returning 1/12.

Auqib Nabi starred for J&K with 10 wickets in the match, earning him the Player of the Match award for his impactful pace bowling. Meghalaya, although enduring their fourth consecutive defeat, showed promise, taking on some of the top teams in Elite Group A.

Meghalaya’s innings were marked by resilience. After being bowled out for 73 in challenging conditions on Day 1, they fought back, bowling J&K out for 194 and posting 195 in their second innings.

Left-arm spinner Aryan Borah claimed his maiden first-class five-wicket haul with 5/42 in J&K’s first innings, while Arpit Bhatewara’s 74 in Meghalaya's second innings provided a bright spot.

Looking ahead, Meghalaya will face Baroda in Vadodara, with their next match starting on November 13.