Ranji Trophy final: J&K tighten grip on bad light-hit Day 2 against Karnataka

Jammu and Kashmir deepened Karnataka's troubles by piling up 527 for six, taking firm control of the Ranji Trophy final before bad light brought an early end to Day 2 on Wednesday.

Brief Score: Jammu and Kashmir 527/6 in 156 overs (Shubham Pundir 121, Yawer Hassan 88, Paras Dogra 70, Kanhaiya Wadhawan 70, Sahil Lotra 54 batting, Prasidh Krishna 3/90) vs Karnataka.

Jammu and Kashmir tightened their grip on the Ranji Trophy final with a commanding batting display, reaching 527 for six against eight-time champions Karnataka before bad light forced an early close on Day 2 here on Wednesday.

Resuming at 284 for 2, J&K capitalised on a placid surface, with six of their top seven batters crossing the 50-run mark. Shubham Pundir, who had laid the foundation with a fine 121, was well-supported by Yawer Hassan (88) and Abdul Samad (61) as the Karnataka bowlers were made to toil for long periods.

Karnataka vs J&K, Ranji Trophy final Day 2: Highlights

Karnataka began the morning with renewed intent after taking the second new ball. Their seamers, Vidyadhar Patil, Vyshak Vijaykumar and Prasidh Krishna, bowled with discipline and extracted appreciable movement. The pressure told when Pundir and Samad fell in quick succession, briefly reviving hopes for the hosts as J&K slipped to 327 for 4.

However, skipper Paras Dogra and Kanhaiya Wadhawan combined to steady the innings with authority. The experienced duo added 110 runs for the fifth wicket, batting with patience and picking the right moments to counterattack. Both brought up fluent half-centuries, scoring 70 each, and wrested back control, guiding J&K to 380 for 4 at lunch before consolidating further in the afternoon session.