NEW DELHI: Auqib Nabi produced a spell for the ages and claimed a career-best 12 wickets as Jammu and Kashmir thrashed former champions Madhya Pradesh by 56 runs to book their place in the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy on Monday.Set a target of 291 on the penultimate day – a challenge created by their own batting lapses – Madhya Pradesh were bowled out for 234, ending their campaign and sending J&K into the last four. Jammu and Kashmir will now take on the winner of the quarter-final between Andhra and Bengal, while Uttarakhand will face Karnataka in the other semi-final.
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The 29-year-old Auqib was once again the destroyer in chief and followed up his stunning figures of 7/40 in the first innings with another incisive spell of 5/70. His match of 12 for 110 proved crucial as Madhya Pradesh struggled to maintain their relentless accuracy and movement.Resuming the day at a shaky 84 for 5 – with Auqib already overnight 3/23 – Madhya Pradesh never really recovered. Temper struck early, removing Ramveer Gurjar for 11 before dismantling the backbone of the opposition by dismissing Saransh Jain, who fought hard for his 64 off 81 balls to keep hopes alive.The end came quickly after. Tailender Aryan Pandey contributed 22 but by then the collapse was in full swing. India all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer was the first to depart earlier in the day, falling to 104 with Madhya Pradesh only able to add 20 runs to their overnight score before losing him.Jammu and Kashmir sensed an opening and tightened the screws. Saransh Jain, the lone bright spot for Madhya Pradesh, tried to stage a recovery by forming a useful partnership with Shubham Sharma (32) and Gurjar, hitting seven boundaries and a six in the process. However, once Auqib returned to end Jain’s resistance, the visitors had little to offer.Left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq provided excellent support at the other end, finishing with figures of 3 for 49 to ensure there were no late runs.With a comprehensive all-round effort led by Auqib’s devastating spell, Jammu & Kashmir confidently marched into the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy, continuing their impressive run in the tournament.
