SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir were bowled out for 111 in their second innings as Rest of India secured a 167-run victory in the Irani Cup at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium on Sunday, ending the match in three-and-a-half days.
Chasing 279, J&K collapsed after reaching 54 without loss, losing all 10 wickets for 57 runs. They lost seven wickets for 23 runs in the final 10 overs, with their innings ending at 111 in 28.4 overs.
Mukesh Kumar led the Rest of India attack with six wickets for 33 runs from 10.4 overs. He removed Abid Mushtaq for five, Umar Nazir Mir for a duck and Sunil Kumar for a first-ball duck in the closing stages.
Abdul Samad was the only batter to offer some resistance after the opening stand, scoring 20 from 42 balls. Lone Nasir Muzaffar was unbeaten on one when the innings ended.
J&K had taken a 41-run first-innings lead after Rest of India were dismissed for 237, with the hosts making 278. Rest of India responded with 319 in their second innings to set J&K a target of 279.
The decisive collapse followed an early breakthrough after lunch, with Khajuria edging Akash Deep, triggering a succession of wickets as the seamers exploited conditions at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium.
Rest of India’s bowling effort was also strengthened by Mukesh Choudhary, who had claimed a five-wicket haul in the first innings and dismissed Abdul Samad for 20 in the second.
The result completed a turnaround for Rest of India after J&K had secured the first-innings advantage. The match ended with their bowlers dismantling the Ranji Trophy champions’ chase inside four days.
