J&K tighten grip on Ranji Trophy final, Karnataka trail by 364 runs

Hubballi (Karnataka) [India], February 26 (ANI): First-time finalists Jammu and Kashmir are in a commanding position against eight-time champions Karnataka at stumps on Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 final at the KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground on Thursday.

In the first innings, Jammu and Kashmir amassed 584 in 173.1 overs. The innings was headlined by Shubham Pundir, who played a fantastic knock of 121 off 247 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes.

Opener Yawer Hassan fell short of his well-deserved century after he was dismissed for 88 off 150 balls, with 13 fours. Shubham Pundir and Yawer Hassan stitched a 139-run partnership for the second wicket.

Apart from the duo, captain Paras Dogra (70 off 166 balls, with eight fours), Abdul Samad (61 off 104 balls, with six fours and one six), wicketkeeper-batter Kanhaiyan Wadhawan (70 off 109 balls, with nine fours), Sahil Lotra (72 off 138 balls, with eight fours) struck crucial half-centurues as Jammu and Kashmir post a commandings score in the first innings.

For Karnataka, speedster Prasidh Krishna scalped a five-wicket haul. He registered the figures of 5/98 in 34.1 overs. Apart from him, Vidyadhar Patil (1/116), Vijaykumar Vyshak (1/75), Shreyas Gopal (1/139), and Shikhar Shetty (1/125) scalped one wicket apiece.

In response, Mayank Agarwal's unbeaten 130 off 207 balls, with 17 fours, has taken Karnataka to 220/5 in 69 overs at stumps on Day 3. KL Rahul (13 off 39 balls, with two fours), captain Devdutt Padikkal (11 off 10 balls, with two fours), Karun Nair (0), Smaran Ravichandran (0), Shreyas Gopal (27 off 83 balls, with one four) couldn't convert their start.

Earlier in the match, Jammu and Kashmir posted 284/2 on Day 1, with Shubham Pundir scoring a century and Yawer Hassan making 88 runs. On Day 2, the Jammu and Kashmir batters continued their dominance as they took their side's total to 527/6, before the umpires called stumps due to bad light. (ANI)

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