Kerala Scripts History as they Edges Gujarat by 2 Runs to Reach Maiden Ranji Final!
Kerala stormed into their first-ever Ranji Trophy final after a nail-biting two-run first-innings lead against Gujarat. Mohammed Azharuddeen's stellar 177 powered Kerala to 457, while Priyank Panchal's 148 guided Gujarat to 455. Aditya Sarwate's crucial breakthroughs on Day 5 sealed the historic win for Kerala, who now eye their maiden title.
Kerala made history by advancing to their first-ever Ranji Trophy final after securing a narrow two-run first-innings lead against Gujarat at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. Kerala batted first and posted a strong total of 457 runs, with Mohammed Azharuddeen leading the charge with an unbeaten 177. Sachin Baby (69) and Salman Nizar (52) provided crucial support. Gujarat responded fiercely, scoring 455 runs, falling just two runs short. Priyank Panchal top-scored with 148, while Jaymeet Patel (79) and Aarya Desai (73) added vital contributions.
On Day 5, Gujarat resumed at 429/7, needing just 28 more runs for the lead. However, Kerala’s Aditya Sarwate turned the game around by dismissing Jaymeet Patel and Siddharth Desai early. The decisive moment came when Arzan Nagwaswalla’s shot deflected off Salman Nizar’s helmet and was caught by Sachin Baby in the slips. Sarwate finished with 4/111, while Jalaj Saxena claimed 4/149.
With the first-innings lead counting as a win in drawn matches, Kerala advanced to the final after similarly edging Jammu & Kashmir by one run in the quarterfinal. They now prepare for their maiden final appearance, while Gujarat fell short of reaching their third final.
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