Dharamshala – Himachal Pradesh displayed a dominant performance against Uttarakhand in their Ranji Trophy 2024-25 Elite B group match, securing a massive victory by an innings and 97 runs. The match, held at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, saw Himachal Pradesh bat first after losing the toss and piling up a formidable 663 runs for the loss of only three wickets.
The batting lineup of Himachal Pradesh delivered an outstanding performance with four players scoring centuries. Shubham Arora set the tone with 118, followed by Prashant Chopra’s powerful knock of 171. The star of the innings was Ankit Kalsi, who remained unbeaten at 205. Ekant Sen added further pressure on Uttarakhand with his century, scoring 101, while Mayank contributed a rapid 56 runs to boost the total.
In response, Uttarakhand struggled to match Himachal’s momentum. In their first innings, the visitors managed to score 299 runs. Himachal’s bowling attack, led by debutant Divesh Sharma, restricted Uttarakhand in both innings. Uttarakhand was bundled out for 276 in their second innings, falling short of making Himachal bat again.
Debutant Divesh Sharma Leads Bowling Attack
Making his debut, Divesh Sharma led Himachal’s bowling attack with a spectacular performance, taking 3 wickets in Uttarakhand’s first innings and a decisive 5-wicket haul in the second. His all-round bowling effort earned him the Man of the Match award, as he played a key role in sealing this monumental win. Vaibhav, Arpit, and Mayank supported the effort, with Vaibhav taking 2 wickets in the first innings and one in the second, while Arpit and Mayank claimed 2 wickets each in the first innings and one each in the second.
This match not only marked a significant victory but also went down as Himachal Pradesh’s best-ever performance in Ranji Trophy history. The team’s batting and bowling units both performed exceptionally well, securing a win by an innings for the first time in such a dominant fashion.
With this dominant win, Himachal Pradesh earned 7 crucial points and will now face Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Vidarbha in their upcoming Elite B group matches.
