Jammu and Kashmir make Ranji Trophy history: Book quarterfinal birth with 0.001 margin

J & K Team

Jammu & Kashmir have qualified for the Ranji Trophy quaterfinal for the first time in their history and that too by the slightest of margins; their quotient being 0.001 better than Goa’s.

Before this, the farthest that Jammu & Kashmir had progressed in the Ranji Trophy was the pre-quarterfinals against Odisha in 2000-01. They qualified for the quarterfinal’s after drawing their game against Tripura in Agartala.

After Goa’s victory over Andhra yesterday, they were tied with J&K on four wins each from eight games respectively. J&K, having already secured three points from the first-innings lead, needed to beat Tripura on the last day or ensure they kept their score in the second innings above Goa’s quotient to ensure qualification (see table). Chasing 228, J&K finished at 87 for 2, staying ahead of Goa’s quotient. J&K finished with a quotient of 1.006, over Goa’s 1.005.

J&K’s performance on the fourth day was built around Parvez Rasool, who finished with 7 for 87 in the second innings to restrict Tripura to 272. The hosts began the day at 103 for 2, and the overnight pair of Abhijit Dey and Kaushal Acharjee added another 48 runs before Dey fell to Rasool.

Tripura lost their next five wickets for 39 runs, but a late-order rally led by Manisankar Murasingh staved off a collapse. Murasingh added 48 with Rana Dutta before he fell for 37.

Jammu & Kashmir and Goa quotients!

J&K were hit by the wickets of Adil Rishi and Ian Dev Singh but Bandeep Singh and Rasool ensured the side suffered no further damage, reaching 87 for 2 at stumps. Six runs less, and their quotient would have dropped that crucial 0.001 points, and they would not have qualified.

Scores: Jammu & Kashmir 325 (Rasool 83, Saha 5-113) and 87 for 2 (Bandeep 37*, Rasool 35*) drew with Tripura 280 (Takawale 83, Beigh 5-80) and 272 (Dey 63, Rasool 7-87)