Qamran Iqbal fought a lonely battle with bat scoring 64 run knock up the order as J&K earned slim 16 run lead against Assam in the match of Ranji Trophy tournament at Guwahatti on December 30.
In reply to Assam’s first inning total of 128 runs, J&K batting was looking in tatters, but the 64 run knock by Qamran, 35 by Irfan Pathan and 24 by debutant Kanhaiya Wadhwan ensured that J&K earn first inning slim lead of 16 runs. It was second fifty for Iqbal in as many matches for J&K in Ranji Trophy. Iqbal had 51 run stand with Pathan when J&K inning looked in extreme trouble. Pathan joined Iqbal in middle with J&K score of 19/4 and then took score to 70 runs before getting out. Meanwhile Iqbal took the charge after Pathan’s wicket and made sure that J&K pass Assam’s total of 128 runs.
On a pace friendly wicket J&K could have earned big lead if for not the last wicket stand of more than 50 runs by Assams number 10 and 11 batsman.
Earlier J&K won the toss and chose to field first. J&K handed debut to Rasikh Salam, Kanhaiya Wadhwan, Rohit Sharma and Musaif Aijaz.
Irfan Pathan gave first breakthrough for J&K getting opener Biplab clean bowled in very frst over. Then Rasikh Salam joined act getting two wickets in quick interval. Pathan then bagged his second leaving Assam 24/4. Assam tried to stabilize the inning but then Rohit Sharma and Umar Nazir ran through middle and lower order. Assam were left reeling on 74/9 and looked will fall within 80 run mark. Then stand between Mukhtar Hussain and Mrinmoy Dutta pushed score to 128.
They frustrated J&K as they kept scoreboard ticking. The had stand of 54 runs between them for last wicket and it was finally broken by Umar Nazir.
For J&K Rohit Sharma and Umar Nazir took three each while as Rasikh and Pathan took two each. For Assam Mrinyoy Dutta top scored with 34 while as Mukhtar scored 24.