Bihar Secures Dominant Victory in Ranji Trophy Plate Final
In a commanding display of cricketing prowess, Bihar has decisively defeated Manipur by a massive margin of 568 runs in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Plate final. This emphatic victory at the Patna venue on Monday has sealed Bihar's triumphant return to the prestigious Elite Group for the upcoming season, marking a significant milestone in their domestic cricket journey.
Historic Performance Seals Promotion
The match witnessed Bihar capitalizing on several outstanding individual performances to secure their promotion. Opener Piyush Singh played a magnificent innings, scoring an unbeaten 216 runs off 322 balls in the second innings, which proved instrumental in setting up the victory. His double century was complemented by fine centuries from skipper Sakibul Gani, who made 108, and Bipin Saurabh, who contributed 143 runs in the first innings.
Bihar's bowling attack demonstrated remarkable efficiency throughout the match. Spinners Suraj Kumar Kashyap and Himanshu Singh were particularly effective, each claiming three wickets in the second innings to dismantle Manipur's batting lineup. Their combined efforts restricted Manipur to just 195 runs in their second essay, following a first innings total of 264.
Match Progression and Key Moments
After posting a substantial first innings total of 522, Bihar declared their second innings at 505 for 6, setting Manipur an improbable target of 764 runs. The declaration came after Raghuvendra Pratap Singh was dismissed for his overnight score of 90, just short of a century. This strategic move allowed Bihar's bowlers a full day to attack the Manipur batting order.
Manipur's innings began disastrously, collapsing to 50 for 5 within just 14 overs. The situation worsened to 70 for 7 by the 23rd over, putting Bihar firmly in control. A brief resistance came from teenager Pheiroijam Jotin, who scored a resilient 74 off 102 balls, and L. Kishan Singha, who contributed 30 runs. Their 83-run partnership for the eighth wicket momentarily delayed the inevitable outcome.
Once the partnership was broken in the 44th over, with pacer Akash Raj dismissing Kishan Singha, Bihar's victory became assured. Jotin's dismissal a few overs later extinguished the last hope for Manipur, completing Bihar's comprehensive win.
Bihar's Cricketing Journey and Future Prospects
Bihar's Ranji Trophy journey has been characterized by notable turbulence in recent seasons. The team briefly entered the Elite Group during the 2022-23 season before slipping back to the Plate Group in 2024-25. This victory represents a successful rebuilding phase under captain Sakibul Gani, who has been instrumental in guiding the team back to the top tier of domestic cricket.
The team's success is further bolstered by promising young talents like teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi, whose development signals a bright future for Bihar cricket. This promotion comes shortly after Bihar secured advancement to the Elite League in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where they also defeated Manipur by six wickets in the final earlier this month.
Brief Scores: Bihar 522 and 505 for 6 declared (Piyush Singh 216, Raghuvendra Pratap Singh 90; Pheiroijam Jotin 3/85) defeated Manipur 264 and 195 in 56.1 overs (Pheiroijam Jotin 74; Prashant Singh 2/51, S Kashyap 3/32, H Singh 3/49) by 568 runs.
