India colts set up title date against Pak
Dubai: Shrugging off their disappointing loss against Pakistan in the last game, India U-19 boys held their nerves as they eked out a three-wicket win against Sri Lanka with five balls to spare as they set up summit clash with arch-rivals Pakistan in the Asia Cup here on Thursday. After being put into bat, Sri Lanka scored 223 for eight in 50 overs, which India colts surpassed the target in 49.1 overs largely due to half-century by opener Ankush Bains (the Man-of-the-Match) due to his innings of 54 off 53 balls with four boundaries and a six. Apart from Bains, Ricky Bhui (37), Akhil Herwadkar (27) and skipper Vijay Zol (22) scored a few runs but all got out after getting starts. (PTI)
J&K beat Tripura, reach Ranji QF
Agartala: In a fantastic achievement, the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team qualified for the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals on Thursday for the first time since 2000, following a draw against Tripura in their final Group C league match, here. The J&K team had taken the first innings lead and the draw was a expected result. With three points from the tie, J&K ended tied on 28 points with Goa but qualified on the basis of their marginally better points quotient. J&K had a quotient of 1.006 as against Goa’s 1.005 after the valley team ended the fourth and final day at 87 for two in a chase of 228. The hosts began the day at a solid 103 for two but were all out for 272 as spinner Perveez Rasool claimed seven wickets at the expense of 87 runs. Tripura’s overnight batsmen Abhijit Dey (63), Kaushal Acharjee (35) began cautiously and had extended their partnership to 78 runs but Rasool dismissed both in a gap of four overs. After that skipper Yogesh Takawale (28) and Manisankar Murasingh (37) resisted the J&K attack for some time but eventually they were bundled out for 272 runs on the board. The visitors then lost Adil Rishi (1) and Ian Dev Singh (9) cheaply but Bandeep Singh (37) and Perveez Rasool (35) batted well after that and easily drew the game. Brief scores: Tripura 280 and 272 in 103.5 overs.(Abhijit Dey 63, Kaushik Acharjee 35; Perveez Rasool 7/87). Jammu and Kashmir: 325 and 87 for 2 in 25 overs.(Perveez Rasool 37 not out, Bandeep Singh 37; Manisankar Murasingh 1/12). (PTI)
Maha beat Assam by 128 runs, reach quarters of Ranji Trophy
Guwahati: Maharashtra qualified for the quarterfinals of the Ranji Trophy after notching an emphatic 128-run win over Assam on the final day of their Group ‘C’ match, here on Thursday. Maharashtra ended their Ranji Trophy group league engagements as table toppers with 35 points from eight games. Chasing 344 for victory, Assam required another 250 runs on the fourth day with six wickets remaining. However, the hosts could manage to score 215 in their second innings with left-arm spinner Akshay Darekar picking up four for 84 while medium pacer Shrikant Mundhe finishing with two for 28. (PTI)
Bhatti’s double gives Pak edge in first Test
Abu Dhabi: Paceman Bilawal Bhatti removed experienced Sri Lankan batsmen Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene off his successive deliveries to put Pakistan in command of the first Test on Thursday. The 22-year-old debutant removed Sangakkara (55) with the last ball of his tenth over and then had Jayawardene off the first of his next to leave Sri Lanka at 186-4 in their second innings at close on the third day pitch that had eased out for batsmen. Junaid (2-46) built on the strikes by dismissing Kaushal Silva for 81, caught behind in the last over of the day. Before that Silva and Sangakkara added 99 for the second wicket which had thwarted Pakistan’s pace-cum-spin attack in the last session. Dinesh Chandimal was the unbeaten batsman at close with 24 as Sri Lanka, who conceded a 179-run lead in the first innings, are now seven runs ahead with six wickets in hand. Earlier, Pakistan were dismissed for 383 runs in their first innings in reply to Sri Lanka’s 204. (AFP)