Jammu and Kashmir enter maiden Ranji Trophy final; Bengal left stunned
Kalyani (West Bengal) (PTI): Sixty seven years after their maiden appearance, Jammu and Kashmir stormed into the Ranji Trophy finals for the first time on Wednesday, upstaging two-time former champions Bengal by six wickets in the semifinals here to add another historic chapter to a fairytale season so far.
Auqib Nabi's stunning nine-wicket match haul and their IPL star Abdul Samad's fearless strokeplay ensured that the side once labelled "perennial underachievers" now stands one step away from the title.
Chasing a modest 126 at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground, J&K rode on Samad's unbeaten 30 off 27 balls (3x6, 1x4) and rookie Vanshaj Sharma's composed 43 not out off 83 ball (4x4) as the pair stitched an unbroken 55-run stand for the fourth wicket to seal history on the fourth and penultimate day of the semifinal.
In a heartwarming gesture, Samad, who had done the bulk of the damage, allowed the 22-year-old Vanshaj to finish it in style and the youngster launched Mukesh Kumar over long-on for six to spark wild celebrations in the visiting camp.
From strugglers to history-makers
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Jammu and Kashmir had played 334 Ranji matches before this season, winning only 45. It took them 44 years to register their first victory, against Services in 1982-83.
Knockout appearances were rare. A breakthrough came in 2013-14 when they edged Goa on net run rate to reach the quarterfinals, and in 2015-16 they stunned Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium under state icon Parveez Rasool.
But consistency eluded them for decades as this season, under coach Ajay Sharma and captain Paras Dogra, they transformed belief into results.
After an opening loss to Mumbai, they bounced back with innings wins over Rajasthan and key victories against Delhi and Hyderabad to enter the knockouts.
A dramatic 56-run win over Madhya Pradesh in the quarterfinal, powered by Nabi’s 12/110, brought them to the semifinals for the first time.
Bengal's big names, bigger letdown
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With four India internationals in Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar and Shahbaz Ahmed, and India A star batter Abhimanyu Easwran along with home advantage to boot, this was Bengal's game to lose.
They did exactly that after folding for 99 in 25.1 overs on day three that set Jammu and Kashmir a paltry 126 to win.
Resuming at 43/2 on the penultimate day, J&K lost an early wicket but Bengal failed to sustain pressure despite Akash Deep's relentless 15-over morning spell (3/46) and Shami's probing 1/24 from 24 overs.
There were anxious moments when Shubham Pundir was cleaned up and Dogra edged behind -- a low diving catch by Abishek Porel off Akash Deep eventually upheld after review.
But Bengal looked fatigued and short of ideas once Samad counterattacked. The IPL batter, retained by Lucknow Super Giants, turned the tide in a single over against Akash Deep that fetched 18 runs.
He did not spare Shahbaz either, dancing down the track to deposit him over mid-wicket and then through covers as J&K crossed the 100-run mark.
From there, shoulders dropped in the Bengal camp.
The introduction of part-time options and a visible dip in intensity underlined a campaign that promised much but fizzled when it mattered most.
Nabi's season for the ages
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The foundations of Jammu and Kashmir's win, however, were laid by Nabi.
"Last time we missed it in the quarters but we did all the hard work and we deserved it," said Nabi after winning the man-of-the-match.
The 29-year-old pacer followed his 12-wicket match haul in the quarterfinal against Madhya Pradesh with another devastating effort, finishing with nine wickets in the match, including a five-for in the first innings, to take his season's tally to 55 wickets at an average of under 13.
Nabi had also contributed with the bat playing a decisive knock at No.9.
J&K had posted 302 in their first innings, reducing the deficit to 26, thanks to Dogra's gritty 58 (112 balls), Samad's counterattacking 82 (85 balls) and a crucial late surge from Nabi (42 off 54) and Yudhvir Singh (33) in a 64-run last-wicket stand.
Dogra's milestone
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For 41-year-old captain Paras Dogra, it was a week of personal and collective milestones.
In a career spanning 24 years across Himachal Pradesh, Pondicherry and now J&K, Dogra also became only the second batter after Wasim Jaffer to score 10,000 Ranji Trophy runs.
Introduced to the game by his father Kultar, Dogra's journey has been one of endurance and quiet steel.
"It's a big achievement, never thought about it. I enjoyed the journey full of ups and downs. The game makes you a strong human being," Dogra said.
His resolute half-century in a 143-run partnership with Samad in the first innings set the tone for the side's resilience.
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Delhi HC Judge Justice Sharma to pass order on recusal plea by Kejriwal at 4.30 pm
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi High Court Judge Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma on Monday said that she would pronounce her verdict at 4.30 pm on pleas by Arvind Kejriwal and others seeking her recusal in the liquor policy case, as she took on record additional pleadings by the AAP chief on his plea.
Justice Sharma said although the pronouncement was scheduled for 2:30 pm, she was "going out of her way" in accepting Kejriwal's rejoinder as a written submission in the matter.
The former chief minister virtually appeared before the judge through video conferencing and urged her to take on record his rejoinder to the written submissions filed by the CBI.
Even as Kejriwal asserted that the registry's refusal to take his rejoinder on record was "miscarriage of justice", Justice Sharma remarked that since he was not being represented by a lawyer, the court went "out of its way" for him when it permitted him to file his additional affidavit last week even after the order on the recusal issue was reserved.
The judge said that as per the registry's rule, a party in-person must take permission from the court to file anything and since the present case was not "extraordinary", the same practice was being followed.
She added that in law, there is no concept of filing a "rejoinder" to the opposite party's written submissions, and she would permit Kejriwal to tender his pleadings as written submissions instead, so that he does not feel that he was not heard.
"You say you have respect for me. I have respect for every litigant. The rule of court will not be changed for anyone so I will treat it as written submissions. I am taking it on record. I am giving the indulgence to Mr Kejriwal," the court stated.
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta appeared for the CBI and opposed Kejriwal's request to file rejoinder. Mehta said nowhere in the country were pleadings taken on record after order was reserved a court.
He also said there is no concept of filing rejoinder to a written submission, and the court should do what it would do for any ordinary litigant.
Kejriwal had raised several objections against the judge hearing the CBI's plea against his discharge in the liquor policy case, including that she had earlier denied him relief on his petition challenging his arrest and refused to grant relief on the bail pleas of other accused, including Manish Sisodia and K Kavitha.
He also claimed that Justice Sharma had made "strong and conclusive" findings.
The former Delhi chief minister further alleged a "direct conflict of interest", claiming that the judge's children are empanelled central government lawyers who receive work through the solicitor general, who is appearing in the matter for the CBI.
Besides Kejriwal, the applications for recusal of the judge were also filed by AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak.
Other respondents, including Vijay Nair and Arun Ramchandra Pillai, have also sought her recusal.
Solicitor General urged Justice Sharma to initiate contempt action against Kejriwal and others for seeking her recusal.
Terming concerns by Kejriwal and others as "apprehensions of an immature mind," Mehta told the court it was a matter of "institutional respect" and Justice Sharma should not succumb to pressure as her recusal on "unfounded allegations" would set a bad precedent.
On February 27, the trial court discharged Kejriwal, Sisodia and others in the Delhi liquor policy case, saying that the CBI's case was wholly unable to survive judicial scrutiny and stood discredited in its entirety.
