Ranji Trophy: Assam holds on to deny Punjab an outright at New PCA Stadium
Punjab and Assam played out a draw in their Ranji Trophy round-one match at the New PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh on Wednesday, with Punjab pressing for an outright victory but finishing with three points while Assam salvaged one.
Overnight batsmen Emanjot Singh Chahal (114 not out, 137b, 10x4, 4x6) and Salil Arora (110, 152b, 10x4, 3x6) polished off Assam’s first-innings deficit in under a session to forge a first-innings lead; their assault began from the fourth over when Salil stepped out to Mohit Thakur and drove through the covers and featured two cover drives off Dipjyoti Saikia. Punjab’s scoring surge produced 191 runs in the first session and left the visitors with a 105-run advantage before they inserted Assam for a second innings.
Assam posted 373 in their first innings. Punjab replied with 478, declaring at six wickets in 127 overs; notable contributions included Vihaan Malhotra lbw b Mukhtar 103, Harnoor Pannu c Ghadigaonkar b Purkayastha 54, and the centuries from Salil Arora and Emanjot Chahal. Extras were 16 (b-1, lb-7, w-1, nb-7). Assam’s first-innings bowling returns read Mukhtar 34-7-128-2, Dipjyoti 15-2-93-0, Amlanjyoti 29-2-77-1, Purkayastha 20-3-64-2 and Mohit 29-2-108-0.
In Assam’s second innings Umesh Yadav struck twice, dismissing Nibir Deka at gully and Rajveer Singh with a ball that pitched and changed angle; Harpreet Brar removed Rishav Das with a skidding length delivery. Denish Das and Sibsankar Roy put on 57 for the fourth wicket but were both caught behind either side of the tea interval, off Harjas Tandon and Harpreet Brar respectively. Sumit Ghadigaonkar was trapped leg-before by Gurnoor Brar, who placed three catchers at midwicket, and Mukhtar Hussain retired hurt after being struck by a bouncer.
Assam were 157 for six in their second innings at close, with Sarupam Purkayastha unbeaten on 18 (68b, 3x4) and Amlanjyoti Das 15 not out; extras were 3 (lb-2, nb-1). Punjab’s second-innings bowling figures were Gurnoor 11-0-38-1, Umesh 9-3-11-2, Harpreet 17-7-44-2, Emanjot 12-3-25-0, Harjas 10-0-34-1, Uday 1-0-1-0 and Vihaan 1-0-2-0.
Assam’s late resistance, led by the unbeaten pair of Purkayastha and Amlanjyoti who batted out the final half-hour, prevented Punjab from securing an outright victory and preserved Assam’s single point from the match.
Punjab collected three points from the fixture while Assam took one point after the match ended with Assam 373 and 157 for six against Punjab’s 478 declared.