Uttarakhand seals maiden Ranji Trophy semifinal spot with an innings win over Jharkhand

A stunning late collapse from Jharkhand paved the way for Uttarakhand’s innings win in their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal at the Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur on Sunday.

Jharkhand looked well-placed at 100 for two after Tea on the third day, before it lost its last eight wickets for just 30 runs as Uttarakhand sealed its maiden Ranji Trophy semifinal spot.

Pacer Abhay Negi and left-arm spinner Mayank Mishra were Uttarakhand’s wrecker-in-chiefs, claiming four and five wickets, respectively.

Negi, in fact, had a productive all-round day, having earlier scored a vital 46 that inflated Uttarakhand’s first-innings lead to 136.

The right-arm quick then set the ball rolling by dismissing both home openers, Shikhar Mohan and Sharandeep Singh, with his crafty outswingers.

Skipper Virat Singh promised Jharkhand a refuge with an elegant knock. The left-handed batter was authoritative with his drives and punches as he raced to a 69-ball fifty.

Virat added 86 runs for the third wicket with Kumar Kushagra, raising hopes of a Jharkhand fightback. But Mishra quelled any such aspirations with a double strike.

Mishra had Virat caught at slip and then had Robin Minz trapped in front with the very next ball. A returning Negi soon nabbed Kushagra as Jharkhand continued to sink.

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The home lower order failed to put up much of a fight against Mishra’s wily left-arm spin, as he moved past 50 wickets for the Ranji season.

Deservingly, Mishra applied the finishing touches with the dismissal of Jharkhand’s last man, Jatin Pandey, as Uttarakhand players erupted in celebration.

Sunday, though, began with the away team on the backfoot. Jharkhand pacers found a greater degree of swing early in the morning session as Uttarakhand’s batting surge slowed to a crawl.

Uttarakhand added just 27 runs from 12 overs in the first hour of the day, while also conceding the wicket of Shashwat Dangwal. The other overnight batter, J Suchith, struggled to move on, adding just four runs during the phase.

Negi was the only away batter who succeeded in countering the resurgent performance from the Jharkhand bowlers. The 33-year-old all-rounder was watchful against the moving ball, preferring to play the ball late to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand worked its way through the other end. A switch to a short-ball strategy earned pacer Saurabh Shekhar the scalp of Suchith, while spinners Ishan Om and Aditya Singh added a wicket apiece. Negi was the last man to fall as he had his bail rearranged by Jatin Pandey.

If Jharkhand nursed any hopes of piecing together a second-innings resurgence, they were to be extinguished soon by the combined force of Negi and Mishra.

Published on Feb 08, 2026