Ranji Trophy 2025, J&K vs Hyderabad — Day 3: Samad's ton, spin attack put J&K on brink of victory

Srinagar, Nov 18: Jammu & Kashmir asserted complete control on Day 3 of their Ranji Trophy clash against Hyderabad, with a magnificent century from Abdul Samad and a devastating spin bowling performance from Abid Mushtaq and Sahil Lotra leaving the visitors reeling and needing a miraculous comeback to save the match.

J&K finished their second innings, setting a mammoth target, and then immediately plunged Hyderabad into trouble, who finished the day struggling at 169/7, still requiring a daunting 303 runs for an improbable win with a day remaining.

J&K Batting: Samad’s Ton, Wadhwan’s Near Miss

Resuming at 275/4, the overnight pair of Abdul Samad (77*) and Kanhaiya Wadhwan (82*) continued their assault on the Hyderabad bowlers.

Abdul Samad converted his overnight score into a brilliant century, demonstrating a blend of maturity and aggression that has become his hallmark. He was finally dismissed for 125 (off 200 balls).

Wicketkeeper-batsman Kanhaiya Wadhwan was unlucky to miss out on a ton, falling for a well-made 95, just five runs short of a first-class century.

Abid Mushtaq provided quick late-order runs, smashing 22 off 34 balls, before J&K finished their innings at 422 of (100.5 overs, setting Hyderabad an enormous target of 472 to win.

Hyderabad’s bowlers toiled hard, with Tanay Thyagarajan 4/87 being the pick of the attack.

Hyderabad Reply: Spin Duo Strikes Gold

The target proved too much for Hyderabad’s batting lineup. While openers Tanmay Agarwal (47) and Abhirath Reddy (18) provided a solid start, surviving the early pace burst from Auqib Nabi and Umar Nazir, the introduction of spin entirely changed the complexion of the game.

The J&K spin duo of Abid Mushtaq and Sahil Lotra wreaked havoc, exploiting the wear and tear of the pitch.

Abid Mushtaq finished the day with an impressive haul of 4 wickets for 56 runs.

Sahil Lotra was equally effective, chipping in with 2 wickets for 28 runs, putting J&K on the path to victory.

Hyderabad collapsed from a solid start, losing 4 wickets for 7 runs, and ended the day at 169/7 (52.3 overs). Captain Rahul Singh Gahlaut’s 30 was a brief moment of resistance, but the visitors lost the majority of their main batting strength and face a near-impossible task on the final day.