Follow UsAuqib Nabi of Jammu and Kashmir was on fire in the last session of Day 2 of the team’s second round Ranji Trophy clash against Rajasthan at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar on October 26 (Sunday).
Having picked up 3/29 in the first innings, Nabi decided to take matters into his own hands literally in the second innings, picking the first five wickets of the Rajasthan side in only his first six overs, flooring the opposition easily on a wicket that was helping the pacers.
The first Rajasthan batter to get out was Sumit Godara, who was caught by Qamran Iqbal for a golden duck off the bowling of Nabi in the first over itself. Skipper Mahipal Lomror followed suit and became Nabi’s second scalp, getting caught by Yawer Hassan in Nabi’s second and innings’ third over.
Abhijeet Tomar was joined by senior statesman Deepak Hooda and the two tried to stabilise the innings with their 23-run stand for the third wicket. In the end, it was too much to take for Abhijeet and when Nabi came back for his second spell, he picked up the Rajasthan opener.
As if the three wickets were not enough, the Kashmir pacer inflicted more pain on the visitors, taking the crucial wickets of nightwatchman Akash Singh and wicket-keeper batter Mukul Chaudhary on the third and fifth ball of the penultimate over of the day.
At the end of Day 2, Rajasthan were 41/5 with Hooda accompanied by Karthik Sharma at the crease, trailing by 89 runs. There is a high probability of Rajasthan being handed an innings defeat after they were first bowled out for 152 in the first innings. J&K in reply scored 282 and, courtesy of their 130-run lead, are in prime position to put their first points on the table.