By Our Reporter
Shillong, Nov 8: Meghalaya’s batting duo of Arpit Bhatewara and Kishan Lyngdoh produced another masterclass with the willow, piling up over 300 runs between them to put their side in complete command on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy 2025–26 Plate Group encounter against Arunachal Pradesh here on Saturday.
By stumps, Meghalaya stood firmly at 386 for 2, with Arpit unbeaten on a magnificent 203 not out and Kishan complementing him with a composed 118 not out. The pair’s unbroken partnership of 288 runs for the third wicket left Arunachal’s bowlers toiling under the scorching Surat sun.
Earlier in the day, Meghalaya skipper opted to bat first after winning the toss — a decision that paid off handsomely. Guest player Ajay Duhan set the tone with an aggressive 53 off just 50 balls at No. 3, striking freely to push the early momentum in Meghalaya’s favour before Bhatewara and Lyngdoh took over.
This innings continued a rich vein of form for both batters. Arpit had struck a double century — coincidentally also 200 runs — against Sikkim at home last month, while Kishan had registered a ton in that same fixture. The consistency of the pair has been a cornerstone of Meghalaya’s batting success this season.
In Saturday’s knock, Arpit displayed immense concentration and control, facing 261 deliveries and finding the boundary 22 times, including four towering sixes. Kishan, equally impressive, crafted his innings patiently across 185 balls, peppered with 14 fours and a six.
