As the Indian cricket team prepares to face off against Bangladesh on February 20 in the Champions Trophy, the Ranji Trophy semi-final matches are heating up in Indian domestic cricket. Kerala and Gujarat are currently battling it out in Ahmedabad, and Mohammed Azharuddin has made history with a brilliant century on the second day of play. The 30-year-old batsman remained unbeaten with a score of 149 runs by the end of the day, marking his second century in First Class Cricket and his first in seven years.
This achievement is all the more significant as Azharuddin is the first batsman from Kerala to score a century in the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy. Having made his debut in the tournament back in November 2015, Azharuddin’s determination and perseverance have finally paid off. Earlier in the day, Kerala had scored 206/4 runs, with captain Sachin Baby unable to add to his overnight score of 69 runs. Azharuddin then formed a crucial 40-run partnership with Ahmed Imran, helping Kerala score 212 runs on the second day.
As a result, Kerala has strengthened their position against Gujarat, with a total of 418 runs and seven wickets lost. The team will be looking to Azharuddin to continue his impressive form on the third day and add more runs to their score. Notably, the Kerala team has never progressed beyond the semi-finals in the Ranji Trophy, so they will be eager to defeat Gujarat and secure a spot in the final.
Meanwhile, the second semi-final match between Vidarbha and defending champions Mumbai is underway in Nagpur. Vidarbha has taken control of the game, scoring a massive 383 runs in their first innings. In response, Mumbai has scored 188 runs, losing seven wickets, and trails Vidarbha’s first innings score by 195 runs. Mumbai opener Akash Anand remains unbeaten on 67 runs, with Tanush Kotian playing alongside him on 5 runs. The stage is set for an exciting third day of play in both matches, with teams battling it out for a spot in the final.