Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala delivered a stunning comeback to defeat Punjab in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C opener at St Xavier’s College Ground in Thumba. On the final day, Kerala chased down a target of 158 runs with ease, wrapping up the match at 158/2 shortly after tea.
Captain Sachin Baby played a key role in Kerala’s run chase, scoring 56 runs, while his opening partner, Rohan Kunnummal, got the team off to a flying start with a quickfire 48 off 36 balls. Though Sachin Baby couldn’t carry the team to the finish line, falling just 10 runs short of victory, Baba Aparajith and Salman Nizar ensured a comfortable win without further hiccups.
The real turning point for Kerala came earlier when their bowlers put on a stellar performance to dismiss Punjab for just 141 in their second innings, despite Punjab holding a 16-run lead from the first innings. Aditya Sarvate and Baba Aparajith claimed four wickets each, with Jalaj Saxena chipping in with two crucial wickets. Sarvate, playing his first match for Kerala, ended with an impressive 9 wickets for 105 runs across both innings, while Saxena bagged 7 wickets for 121 runs.
Punjab’s batting struggled, with their captain and wicketkeeper, Prabhsimran Singh, offering the only significant resistance by scoring 51 runs. However, it wasn’t enough to fend off Kerala’s bowlers, who dominated the match to earn a comprehensive victory and secure 6 points.
In the end, Kerala emerged victorious by 8 wickets, marking a solid start to their Ranji Trophy campaign.
Brief Scores: Punjab: 194 & 142 (Prabhsimran Singh 51, Anmolpreet Singh 37, Aditya Sarvate 4-43, Jalaj Saxena 2-40, Baba Aparajith 4-35)
Kerala: 179 & 158/2 (Sachin Baby 56, Rohan Kunnummal 48, Baba Aparajith 39).
Points: Kerala 6, Punjab 0.
