Muktsar finished the opening day of their Katoch Shield Trophy quarterfinal against Ludhiana at 143 for two wickets, recovering from an early loss to seize control of the contest. Only 51 overs were possible after a wet outfield delayed the start by nearly four hours.
Early Blow and Steady Recovery
Winning the toss and electing to bat, Muktsar suffered an early setback when Aradhya Shukla dismissed Mahavir Singh for a duck on the fourth ball of the innings, caught by Rajveer Soni. This left the visitors reeling at 0 for 1.
Harman Kumar then joined Armaan Singh Gurna to rebuild the innings. The pair added a patient 65 runs for the second wicket, with Harman showing resilience in his 91-ball 35, which included four boundaries. Ravi Kumar eventually broke the stand, dismissing Harman.
Unbeaten Half-Centuries Dominate
After Harman's departure, Gurna and Manpreet Singh Sandhu took charge. They adopted a cautious approach on a pitch offering assistance to the bowlers, before accelerating when opportunities arose. The duo stitched together an unbroken 77-run partnership for the third wicket, frustrating the Ludhiana attack.
At stumps, Gurna remained unbeaten on 51 off 154 balls, hitting five fours. Sandhu was equally impressive, scoring an unbeaten 50 off 64 deliveries, which included four boundaries and two sixes.
Limited Overs Due to Rain
The start of play was delayed by nearly four hours due to overnight rain and a wet outfield. Once conditions improved, only 51 overs could be bowled on the day. The match, a two-day fixture, will resume on Monday with Muktsar in a commanding position.
