Ranji Trophy quarter-finals 2024-25 Review: One-run heartbreak! Kerala denies J&K historic semifinal berth

The Kerala team became the fourth team to qualify for the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season semi-final. Notably, they survived on the last day of the match against Jammu and Kashmir. Despite the game being drawn, on the basis of the first innings lead, they earned the right to play the knockout phase of the coveted tournament.

As a result, they now will be playing against Gujarat on February 17. This was a great match between the two teams who fought till the end to secure the spot in the semi-finals for the second time. The first innings was full of drama where Kerala had got the better of the J&K batters getting them bowled out for 280 runs.

However, the J&K bowlers still kept the fight with the ball as the Sachin Baby-led side just scraped past the innings with a one-run lead thanks to a wonderful century from Salman Nizar.  

The J&K batters kept their chances for a semi-final berth open with skipper Paras Dogra leading from the front with a crucial century. He scored 132 off 232 deliveries and finally declared on a score of 399 runs which was also the target for the Kerala batters. Given the stage of the match, this was always going to be a tough chase for the southern side.

While they seemed to be in trouble at one stage the sensible knocks from skipper Sachin Baby (48 off 162 deliveries), Nizar (44 off 162 deliveries), and Mohammed Azharuddeen ( 67 off 118 deliveries) were enough to save the game and break the J&K bowlers hearts. 

Nizar and Azharuddeen's resilient batting saves the day 

It was all looking over for the Kerala batters who looked in trouble at 180/6 at one stage of the game. Azharuddeen and Nizar were the last recognized batting pair for the side who had to play an innings to save the day. They rose to the occasion for the team and saved the game eventually..

Also Read: Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Quarter Finals, Day 4 Review

Nizar had already played a great knock in the first innings to get his team a lead but this partnership with the keeper batter was the real game-changing moment. The 7th wicket partnership put on 115 off 257 balls. In the end,  Salman Nizar was adjudged the player of the match for his contribution with the bat in both the innings.