Defending champions Jammu and Kashmir survived a major scare to escape with a draw against Madhya Pradesh in their Ranji Trophy Group A opener after rain and bad light denied the visitors an opportunity to push for victory on the fourth and final day on Wednesday. Chasing a daunting target of 326 after Madhya Pradesh declared their second innings at 249 for six, Jammu and Kashmir were reeling at 88 for seven when the match ended, with the home side staring at defeat before the weather intervened. Madhya Pradesh, who had resumed their second innings at 151 for five, declared at 249 for six after captain Shubham Sharma completed a magnificent unbeaten century, scoring 106 off 200 balls with seven fours and three sixes.
Jammu and Kashmir survived a major scare to escape with a draw against Madhya Pradesh in their Ranji Trophy Group A opener after rain and bad light denied the visitors an opportunity to push for victory on the fourth and final day on Wednesday.
Mahajan made a valuable contribution with 39 off 94 balls, while Aryan Pandey scored 17. Auqib Nabi was the pick of the Jammu and Kashmir bowlers, claiming three wickets for 53 runs, while Sunil Kumar took two wickets. Avesh then accounted for Abdul Samad, who departed without scoring, before Pandey dismissed captain Paras Dogra for four to reduce the hosts to 12 for five inside six overs. Auqib Nabi was unbeaten on 30 when the match was called off. In other Group A matches, Vidarbha beat Puducherry by 160 runs in Nagpur, while Baroda defeated Goa by an innings and 135 runs in Panaji.
