RANJI TROPHY
By Our Reporter
Shillong, Nov 10: Meghalaya recorded their biggest ever victory in the Ranji Trophy by defeating Arunachal Pradesh by an innings and 446 runs on the third day of their plate group match in Surat on Monday.
Resuming their second innings in the morning on 29/3, Arunachal were bowled out for 109. This was after they made just 73 in their first innings in response to Meghalaya’s mammoth 628/6 declared.
Aryan Borah spun his way to figures of 3/45 in 16 overs while guest professional Ajay Duhan 2/0 in 1.4 overs, Aaron Nongrum 2/8 in 6 and Akash Chaudhary 2/29 in 8.
Meghalaya’s previous biggest margin of victory came against Mizoram by an innings and 425 runs in the Ranji Trophy 2019-20 season.
There were many memorable performance to choose from in this superlative victory – Arpit Bhatewara’s second double century (207) in first-class cricket, Kishan Lyngdoh’s second hundred (119) of the season, guest professional Rahul Dalal’s first century (144) for Meghalaya and Akash’s fastest-ever 50 and record eight sixes in a row – and the match officials went with Arpit as the Player of the Match.
This was Meghalaya’s first victory of 2025-26 after two of the previous three matches ended in a draw while one was abandoned without a ball bowled.
Meghalaya will stay in Surat for their next match, which will be against Manipur from November 16.This thumping win not only etched Meghalaya’s name in the Ranji Trophy record books but also signalled the team’s growing stature in India’s domestic cricket circuit.
The manner in which the side dominated every department — from Arpit Bhatewara and Kishan Lyngdoh’s composed centuries to Akash Chaudhary’s explosive cameo and the bowlers’ ruthless precision — reflected a new level of confidence and depth within the squad.
It was a collective triumph born out of consistency, self-belief, and teamwork, proving that Meghalaya’s cricketing rise is no longer a matter of promise but of performance.
With their first win of the 2025–26 season now in the bag, the players will look to carry this momentum into their upcoming clash against Manipur, hoping to build on this historic success and continue their journey towards greater glory.
