Uttarakhand delivered a masterclass in red-ball cricket, demolishing Jharkhand by an innings and 6 runs to book their place in the Ranji Trophy Elite 2025-26 semifinals. The quarterfinal at Jamshedpur’s Keenan Stadium highlighted Uttarakhand’s superiority, leading to a blockbuster semifinal against Karnataka starting February 15.
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss might have been Jharkhand’s first mistake. Their batters managed 235 in the first innings, with Aditya Singh’s 83 (11 fours) and Virat Singh’s 47 (5 fours) being the highlights. Janmejay Joshi led the bowling charge with 4 wickets, while Aditya Rawat and Mayank Mishra shared six between them.
Not to be outdone, Uttarakhand’s batsmen feasted, reaching 371. Standout performances came from Jagdish Suchit (70, 6 fours), Kunal Chandela (68), and Avnish Sudha (64). Jharkhand’s attack was shared among Jatin Pandey, Sahil Raj, Saurabh Shekhar, and Aditya Singh, each with two wickets.
With a substantial 136-run cushion, Uttarakhand wasted no time in the second innings. Jharkhand collapsed to 130 all out, powered by Virat Singh’s resolute 55 (1 six, 6 fours) and Kushagra’s 34. Mayank Mishra’s 5 for 22 and Abhay Negi’s 4-wicket burst sealed the deal, with Aditya Rawat chipping in.
In other results, Jammu & Kashmir triumphed over Madhya Pradesh by 56 runs, awaiting Andhra or Bengal. Karnataka scraped past Mumbai by 4 wickets. This win propels Uttarakhand forward, blending batting depth with bowling fire.