Cheteshwar Pujara’s remarkable innings of 234 runs stood out as a significant achievement for Saurashtra, enabling them to secure a comfortable draw against Chhattisgarh in Rajkot. In addition to Pujara’s performance, Sheldon Jackson contributed 62 runs, while Arpit Vasavada added 73 runs, both playing vital roles for the home team.
Delhi vs Tamil Nadu
A dramatic conclusion unfolded in Delhi as the home team managed to secure a tense draw against Tamil Nadu. For a significant portion of the day, it appeared that Washington Sundar’s squad would achieve a definitive victory. Delhi, having ended the previous day at 264 for 8, was swiftly dismissed for 266 and subsequently forced to follow on.
Sundar (3 for 45) and his fellow spinner Ajith Ram (2 for 52) delivered impressive performances as Delhi faltered once more, with only opener Sanat Sangwan (83) managing to resist the onslaught. Ultimately, the lower order persevered, allowing the home team to conclude their innings at 193 for 8, with Navdeep Saini remaining not out on a determined score of 15 from 64 balls.
Saurashtra vs Chhattisgarh
The seasoned player Cheteshwar Pujara ultimately succumbed to 234 after achieving his 66th first-class century and 17th double century. While a definitive result was unattainable, Chhattisgarh was eager to dismiss Saurashtra for a total below their first-innings score of 578/7. Chhattisgarh came close to accomplishing this goal, having reduced Saurashtra to 478/8 by the time of Tea. However, a rain interruption proved advantageous for the home team, as further play appeared unlikely.
Punjab vs Madhya Pradesh
In Chandigarh, Punjab narrowly missed achieving a definitive victory, falling two wickets short, while Madhya Pradesh managed to secure a draw. The bowling efforts of Arshdeep Singh (2 for 28), Gurnoor Brar (3 for 60), and Sukhwinder Singh (2 for 19) were instrumental in putting pressure on the opposition. For Madhya Pradesh, the opener Himanshu Mantri played a vital role in preserving the match, contributing a resilient 41 runs off 225 balls.
Services vs Baroda
In Delhi, Services experienced a significant defeat, losing to Baroda by 65 runs despite a commendable effort from their lower-order batsmen. Faced with a challenging target of 340 runs, Services found themselves struggling at 50 for 4. However, the lower order rallied, with Arjun Sharma scoring an unbeaten 79 and captain Rajat Paliwal contributing 47 runs. For Baroda, Mahesh Pithiya was the standout performer, taking 6 wickets for 102 runs, while Raj Limbani made an impact with the new ball, claiming 3 wickets for 47 runs.
Mumbai vs Maharashtra
Defending champions Mumbai concluded the final proceedings on the fourth day against Maharashtra, securing a commanding nine-wicket victory. Prithvi Shaw’s rapid 39 not out from 36 deliveries propelled Mumbai to their target of 75 runs in the 14th over. Maharashtra consistently lagged in the match after posting a total of 126 in their first innings. The situation worsened for Maharashtra as significant centuries from Player of the Match Ayush Mhatre and Shreyas Iyer provided Mumbai with a substantial lead of 312 runs.
Gujarat vs Andhra
Gujarat achieved a dramatic one-wicket victory over Andhra in Ahmedabad, thanks to an outstanding performance by Lalith Mohan, who took 7 wickets for 76 runs. Arzan Nagaswalla, with an unbeaten score of 18, remained composed alongside last man Priyajitsing Jadeja as the home team narrowly secured the win. Earlier in the match, Nagaswalla played a crucial role in instigating Andhra’s downfall, as they collapsed from a strong position of 203 for 4 to being all out for 297, which set Gujarat a challenging target of 144 runs that nearly sufficed for the visitors.
Uttrakhand vs Hyderabad
Swapnil Singh’s impressive performance, taking 6 wickets for 59 runs, led Uttarakhand to a 78-run victory against Hyderabad in Dehradun. The day began poorly for Uttarakhand, who lost their final six wickets for a mere 46 runs, setting a challenging target of 269 for Hyderabad. However, they ultimately fell significantly short, as Swapnil delivered a formidable bowling display that disrupted their pursuit.
Vidarbha vs Puducherry
On the final day in Puducherry, an astonishing total of 17 wickets fell as the home team succumbed to a 120-run defeat against Vidarbha. Starting the day at 25 for 3, the visitors managed to add only 103 runs on a deteriorating pitch, setting a target of 202 for Puducherry. This target proved insurmountable for the home side, as Harsh Dubey excelled with figures of 4 for 20, supported by Praful Hinge (2 for 9) and Aditya Thakare (2 for 11), leading to Puducherry’s dismissal for a mere 82 runs. Additionally, Karun Nair contributed with two run outs.
Meghalaya vs Tripura
Manisankar Murasingh’s impressive performance of 5 wickets for 44 runs was instrumental in Tripura’s decisive victory over Meghalaya by an innings and 17 runs in Shillong. Resuming the day at 3 for 0, with a significant deficit of 152 runs, Meghalaya’s batsmen struggled to make an impact, with the exception of Jaskirat Singh, who scored 51 runs, and captain Kishan Lyndoh, who contributed 30 runs. The remaining batters were unable to withstand the pressure as Tripura’s bowlers effectively dismantled the batting order.
Assam vs Chandigarh
Chandigarh achieved a convincing nine-wicket victory over Assam in Guwahati, successfully chasing a modest target of 78 runs. Skipper Manan Vohra played a pivotal role, remaining unbeaten with a score of 51 runs off 50 balls. The foundation for this win was laid earlier by Jagjit Singh, whose exceptional bowling performance of 7 wickets for 57 runs dismantled the Assam batting lineup in their second innings.
