The Ranji Trophy Semifinals are in full swing, with both knockout matches going place at the same time. In Game 1, Mumbai will face Uttar Pradesh, while in Game 2, Madhya Pradesh will face Bengal. Day 2 was as good as it gets, with some fantastic competitive cricket on display. Let’s take a look at Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy Semifinals.
GAME 1
Mumbai vs Uttar Pradesh:
UP won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Stumps Day 2
Mumbai 393
Uttar Pradesh (12 ov) 25/2
Mumbai dominated the second day, with a first-innings total of 393 from an overnight score of 260 for 5 thanks to Tamore’s century and Mulani’s fifty. After the first session had been washed out, this was done. Karan and Saurabh shared seven wickets between them, but Tamore had already guided Mumbai to a respectable score.
Deshpande and Kulkarni each took a wicket in the first four overs with the ball, leaving UP at 25/2 at stumps. UP is still 368 runs behind.
For both teams, the third day will be vital.
GAME 2
Madhya Pradesh vs Bengal:
M. Pradesh won the toss and chose to bat.
Stumps Day 2
Madhya Pradesh 341
Bengal (66 ov) 197/5
Day 2 – Bengal trail by 144 runs.
Tiwary and Shahbaz return with the century stand, which now has a total of 143. They’re both exhausted but ecstatic. When Bengal was reeling at 54 for 5, they rallied together.
Tiwary skillfully used his sweeps and reverse sweeps to fight spin in his own style. Shahbaz took a more traditional approach to shot selection, appearing to prefer to play behind the line in order to play orthodox strokes.
In the last session, MP went flat, and it appeared for a time that they were the team counting down the overs to stumps. Overall, they’re still ahead by a hair, with Bengal’s deficit now at 144. Tomorrow’s early wicket might be the catalyst for a rush of runs. The tone for a fantastic third day will be set by a fiercely contested first session.
