Bengal oust champions MP
Indore, Feb 12: Riding on a dominant all-round performance, Bengal stormed into the Ranji Trophy final, ousting defending champions Madhya Pradesh by 306 runs at the Holkar Stadium here on Sunday. Bengal, who last won the Ranji title in the 1989-90 season, will face Saurashtra, who beat Karnataka by four wickets in the other semi-final. Bengal will host the final against Saurashtra, by virtue of having secured more points than its fellow finalist in the group stage in a repeat of the 2020 final. The star of the semi-final for Bengal was Akash Deep, who wrecked the home side with his six wickets to take the team to their second Ranji final appearance in three seasons. Anustup Majumdar and Sudip Kumar Gharami also contributed heavily, scoring 200 and 153 runs respectively in the first innings that took Bengal to a massive 438. Pradipta Pramanik also impressed with his all-round skills, scoring an unbeaten 60, followed by a superb five-wicket haul in the second innings. (PTI)
Vasavada guides Saurashtra to final
Bengaluru, Feb 12: Saurashtra secured a place in the Ranji Trophy final for the fifth time in the history of the tournament, defeating Karnataka by four wickets at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Sunday. The 2019-20 edition champions scored the required 115 runs for victory on the fifth and final day of the semi-final match. It will be a repeat of the 2019-20 summit clash, where Bengal had finished second best. Saurashtra skipper Arpit Vasavada, following his match-altering double century in the first innings that helped the team to a mammoth 527, played another polished knock of unbeaten 47 just when the Karnataka bowlers had reduced the team to 42/5 in the second innings. With Karnataka looking poised to defend a paltry 100-plus total on home turf and Krishnappa Gowtham (3/38) and Vasuki Koushik (3/32) on fire, the 34-year-old Vasavada remained calm under trying circumstances to guide his side to a hard-fought win in 34.2 overs. (PTI)
Undakat released from second Test to play Ranji final
Mumbai, Feb 12: Pace bowler Jaydev Unadkat was on Sunday released from the Indian squad for the second Test against Australia so that he can play in the Ranji Trophy final for Saurashtra, the BCCI said on Sunday. The 31-year-old Undakat will add more firepower to Saurashtra, which will take on Bengal in the Ranji Trophy final on February 16. “The All-India Senior Selection Committee in consultation with the Indian team management has decided to release Jaydev Unadkat from India’s squad for the 2nd Test of the Mastercard Australia tour of India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” said a statement issued by BCCI secretary Jay Shah. “Jaydev will now join the Saurashtra squad, which qualified for the Mastercard Ranji Trophy final to be played against Bengal from 16th February at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata,” it added. Unadkat was a member of the India squad for the four-match Test series against Australia. The second Test begins on February 17. (PTI)