Ranji Trophy: Hyderabad’s last pair adds 39 to beat Chhattisgarh by one wicket and go top of Group B; Rasheed’s 176 saves Andhra

Hyderabad were 220 for nine, still 39 runs short of a target of 259, when Rakshann Readdi walked out to join Aniketh Reddy at the Gymkhana Ground on Thursday, 5 November. The last pair scored every one of those runs, and Readdi closed the Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match by hitting off-spinner Jayant Yadav for six to give Hyderabad a one-wicket win over Chhattisgarh.

Hyderabad have now won three of their four matches outright this season. The result lifts them to 20 points and first place in Group B, while Chhattisgarh have seven points from their four games.

How the chase was rebuilt

Hyderabad began the final day on 13 for two. Opener Abhirath Reddy made 68 and added 87 for the third wicket with Rahul Radesh, who scored 39. Radesh and K Himateja, out for 8, fell in quick succession to leave the side at 100 for four, and the score became 142 for six when Abhirath and Pragnay Reddy were dismissed inside two overs.

Varun Goud held the innings together with 55 and put on 40 for the seventh wicket with captain Chama Milind, who made 22. Two more wickets went down with 39 still needed. Aniketh, batting at No. 10, finished unbeaten on 39 and hit left-arm spinner Ajay Mandal for two sixes, while Readdi rotated the strike and ended on 15 not out. Their stand lasted 104 balls. Dev Aditya Singh took three for 28 for Chhattisgarh.

Chhattisgarh had made 284 in their first innings and gained a four-run lead when Hyderabad were bowled out for 280. Mayank Verma’s 81 then carried them to 254 in the second innings, a total stretched when Dev Aditya Singh and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja put on 55 for the last wicket after Hyderabad had them at 199 for nine. Readdi and Aniketh took three wickets each.

Rasheed’s 176 holds off Punjab

Andhra’s match against Punjab ended in a draw. Replying to Punjab’s 592 for nine, Andhra reached 505 for eight, with Shaik Rasheed scoring 176 and Karan Shinde out for 96, four short of a hundred.

The Ranji Trophy now breaks for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the domestic T20 competition, and resumes in January.