Image Credit- PTI
In the Ranji Trophy
semi-final of 2023–24, Vidarbha defeated Madhya Pradesh thanks to an undefeated
97 from Yash Rathod and two patient half-centuries from Aman Mokhade and Akshay
Wadkar.
Vidarbha finished the second day behind MP by 69 runs after giving up the
first-innings lead. However, Vidarbha’s comeback was spearheaded by Mokhade,
Wadkar, and Rathod, who saw them to 343 for 6 at day’s end and, consequently, a
261-run lead in Nagpur.
Akshay Wakhar, a nightwatcher for Vidarbha, was dismissed by fast bowler
Anubhav Agarwal in the day’s second over. After that, Mokhade and Dhruv Shorey
chipped in to add 73 runs for the third wicket, which also took Vidarbha into
the lead.
Subsequently, Kumar
Kartikeya intervened to remove Shorey for 40 off 65. In just his second
first-class match, Mokhade reached his fifty but was unable to sustain the
lead. Once more, Kartikeya struck, lbw Mokhade for 59 runs.
After scoring 63 runs in the first innings, Karun Nair responded with a lively
38 off 43 balls, but Vidarbha was still in a vulnerable position at 161 for 5,
behind by just 79 runs, when he was dismissed clean by Kulwant Khejroliya.
The runs for
Vidarbha were then gradually increased by Rathod and skipper Wadkar. Together,
the pair struck in the 42nd over and went on to add 158 runs over 46.3 overs
while containing the MP bowlers. Vidarbha’s lead had increased to 237 by the
time Wadkar was dismissed for 77 late in the day. Out of 139 balls, he hit
eight fours. In the end, Agarwal sacked him.
Rathod, nevertheless, just kept going. For the left-hander, the Ranji season
has gone well. Despite not playing in the first several games, he has four
fifty-strikes in eight innings after rejoining the team. In his 165 balls, he
hit 12 fours, and on day four, he hopes to score his first-ever century in a
first-class match.
Vidarbha had a bit
of a dash in the last two overs of the third day accumulating 24 runs, with
Aditya Sarwate cracking an unbeaten 14 off eight balls with three fours. MP
could only manage five strikes on the third day, with Agarwal and Kartikeya
picking two wickets each.