Ranji Trophy: Kerala secure semifinal berth after thrilling draw against J&K

PUNE: Following an exciting battle in the quarterfinals, Kerala has managed to march into the Ranji Trophy semifinals after a gap of six years. Although they had to settle for a draw against Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala advanced based on their narrow first-innings lead of just one run. In the semifinal, they will face Gujarat. The match is set to take place at Gujarat’s home ground in Ahmedabad.

Salman Nizar’s brilliant performances in both innings were crucial to Kerala’s success. In the second innings, Mohammad Azharuddeen also put up a resilient fight alongside Salman. At the end of the match, Azharuddeen remained unbeaten with 67 runs off 118 balls, while Salman was not out with 44 runs off 162 balls.

Scores:
Jammu and Kashmir - 280, 399/9 declared
Kerala - 281, 295/6

The last time Kerala reached the semifinals was in the 2018-2019 season, where they lost to Vidarbha.

Chasing a challenging target of 399 runs set by Jammu and Kashmir in their second innings, Kerala struggled to put up a strong batting performance. However, their crucial first-innings lead turned out to be the deciding factor. Starting the fifth day at 100/2, Kerala’s batting was not particularly impressive, but Salman Nizar’s determined fight ensured they secured a draw and progressed to the semifinals.