Ranji Trophy 2024 semifinal 1: Vidarbha four wickets away from booking final berth; MP need 93 runs

Vidarbha need four wickets to seal their place in the Ranji Trophy 2024 final, while Madhya Pradesh need to score 93 more to pull off an unexpected win.

Chasing a target of 321, MP went to Stumps on Day 4 of the first Ranji Trophy 2024 semifinal at 228-6 at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground in Nagpur on Tuesday, March 5.

Earlier, Vidarbha began their second innings on Day 4 at 343-6, with a significant lead of 261 and ended up with 402. Yash Rathod, who was unbeaten on 97 overnight, went on to complete a much-deserved ton, scoring 141 off 200. Rathod struck 18 fours and two sixes in what could be a game-changing knock before being bowled by Kulwant Khejroliya.

Aditya Sarwate, who was unbeaten on 14 at Stumps on Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy 2024 semifinal, fell to Anubhav Agarwal for 21 on Day 4. Agarwal also dismissed Yash Thakur (2) and Umesh Yadav (0) to finish with excellent figures of 5-92 from 18 overs.

Rathod was the last man to fall in the Vidarbha innings after he guided his team past the 400-run mark.

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Wakhare, Sarwate strikes hurt MP in Ranji Trophy 2024 semifinal

Chasing a target of 321, Madhya Pradesh's Himanshu Mantri was dismissed by Sarwate for 8.

Yash Dubey (94 off 212) and Harsh Gawli (67 off 80), though, lifted the chasing side’s hopes, adding 106 for the second wicket. The fine partnership ended when Gawli was caught behind off Thakur. The MP batter perished after smacking 11 fours in his aggressive knock.

The wicket proved to be a big blow for Madhya Pradesh, as they lost their way in the chase after Gawli’s exit. Sagar Solanki was trapped lbw by Akshay Wakhare for 12.

Captain Shubham Sharma (6) was the next to go. He also fell to Wakhare, who had his third when he got the massive wicket of Venkatesh Iyer for 19 to leave MP in big trouble at 195-5.

Opener Dubey was looking good for a hundred. More significantly, Madhya Pradesh wanted him to carry on in their endeavor to book a place in the Ranji Trophy 2024 final.

However, the well-set batter fell six short of three figures, becoming Sarwate’s second scalp. Dubey’s 94 came off 212 and featured 10 hits to the fence. At Stumps on Day 4, Saransh Jain was batting on 16 and Kumar Kartikeya on 0.