Uttarakhand Reaches Ranji Semis with Win Over Jharkhand

Uttarakhand clinched a decisive victory over Jharkhand by an innings and six runs in their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal match at Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur on Sunday, securing the team's first-ever semifinal berth in the domestic tournament.

Jharkhand, batting first, managed 235 in their opening innings on the first day, with Aditya Singh top-scoring on 83 off 167 balls and captain Virat Singh contributing 47 off 122 deliveries. Uttarakhand's bowlers, including Janmejay Joshi with 4 for 46, Aditya Rawat with 3 for 39, and Mayank Mishra with 3 for 50, shared the wickets to restrict the hosts.

Resuming on the second day at 4 for no loss, Uttarakhand adopted a patient approach to build a substantial lead. Opener Avneesh Sudha laid a solid foundation with 64 off 120 balls, partnering with Bhupen Lalwani for 24 in a 41-run opening stand. Captain Kunal Chandela then anchored the innings with 68 off 112 balls, adding 99 runs with Sudha to steady the ship. After their dismissals, spin all-rounder Jagadeesha Suchith scored 70, and Saurabh Rawat made 32, pushing the score to 282 for 5 by stumps and establishing a 47-run lead. Jharkhand's bowlers, led by Jatin Pandey with 2 for 72 and Sahil...