The Ranji Trophy knockout dreams for Rajasthan have officially come to an end following their drawn encounter against Himachal Pradesh at the Anantam Ground in Jaipur. The Mahipal Lomror-led side needed a crucial victory to keep their qualification hopes alive but could only manage a hard-fought draw in their Elite Group D match that concluded on Sunday.
Mathematical Elimination Despite Final Match
With this result, Rajasthan now have just 14 points from their six completed matches in the tournament. Even if they secure a win in their seventh and final tie against Pondicherry starting January 29, they cannot mathematically finish among the top two teams in their group. This marks a disappointing end to their campaign in the prestigious domestic cricket competition.
Group D Qualification Picture
Mumbai has already secured their knockout berth from Group D with a commanding victory over Hyderabad on Sunday, taking their points tally to an impressive 30. Jammu and Kashmir currently occupy the second qualification spot with 21 points, while Chhattisgarh sits in third position with 17 points, creating a clear separation from Rajasthan's position in the standings.
Himachal's Aggressive Declaration
Winless throughout the season so far, Himachal Pradesh made a bold attempt to secure their first victory by declaring their second innings at 243 for 8 after 58 overs. This sporting declaration set Rajasthan a challenging target of 308 runs to be chased in just 44 overs, creating an exciting final day of cricket.
Rajasthan's Defensive Battle
The hosts began their chase positively, racing to 34 runs in the first six overs. However, their momentum quickly dissipated as wickets began falling at regular intervals. When half the side had returned to the pavilion, Rajasthan's lower-order batsmen Kunal Singh Rathore and Manav Suthar adopted a purely defensive approach to secure the draw.
Rathore displayed remarkable resilience with his 80-ball vigil for just 10 runs, while Suthar remained unbeaten on 0 from 25 deliveries. Their determined partnership ensured Rajasthan avoided defeat but couldn't deliver the victory they desperately needed.
Individual Performances Recognized
Himachal Pradesh middle-order batter Pukhraj Mann received the man-of-the-match award from Match Referee Sreekumar Nair for his maiden Ranji Trophy century. His magnificent 118-run knock was a highlight of the contest and demonstrated his growing prowess in domestic cricket.
Match Statistics Summary
Brief Scores: Himachal Pradesh 406 and 243/8 declared in 58 overs (Ankush Bains 93, Akash Vashisht 44*, Innesh Mahajan 42; Manav Suthar 4-79, Ajay Kookna 3-72, Khaleel Ahmed 1-38) drew with Rajasthan 342 and 100/5 in 40 overs (Mukul Choudhary 28, Salman Khan 24, Deepak Hooda 16, Amol Chelani 12; Akash Vashisht 4-24, Mukul Negi 1-32).
The match statistics reveal a closely contested affair where both teams had moments of dominance. Himachal's bowling attack, led by Akash Vashisht's impressive 4-wicket haul, kept constant pressure on Rajasthan's batting lineup throughout the final innings.
