SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir suffered a dramatic batting collapse to be bowled out for 111 in their second innings, handing Rest of India a 167-run victory in the Irani Cup at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium on Sunday.
Chasing 279 for victory, J&K were reduced from 54 without loss to 111 all out in just 28.4 overs, losing their final 10 wickets for 57 runs. The hosts lost seven wickets for 23 runs in the final 10 overs as their chase unravelled in the second session.
Mukesh Kumar was the chief destroyer, claiming six wickets for 33 runs in 10.4 overs to complete a match-winning spell. He removed Abid Mushtaq, Umar Nazir Mir and Sunil Kumar in the closing stages, while Mukesh Choudhary also struck to dismiss Abdul Samad for 20.
Abid Mushtaq made five from four balls, while Umar Nazir Mir and Sunil Kumar were dismissed without scoring. Lone Nasir Muzaffar remained unbeaten on one when the innings ended.
J&K had made a promising start to the chase before their middle and lower order collapsed. Abdul Samad’s 20 was the only substantial contribution after the opening partnership, but the hosts could not withstand the sustained pressure from the Rest of India attack.
Rest of India had set J&K a target of 279 after being bowled out for 237 in their first innings, with J&K responding with 278 to take a 41-run first-innings lead. Rest of India then recovered in their second innings to post 319, setting up a demanding chase for the hosts.
The defeat completed a remarkable turnaround by Rest of India after J&K held the first-innings advantage.
