Assam had a disappointing match against Services at Tinsukia, led by their key all-rounder Riyan Parag. This game set several unwanted records in the Ranji Trophy history as Services secured a commanding eight-wicket victory in one of the shortest matches recently witnessed. Left-arm spinner Arjun Sharma’s exceptional performance, claiming nine wickets, earned him the Player of the Match title.
Starting their second innings at 56/5, Assam struggled against Services’ strong bowling attack, getting dismissed for a mere 75 runs in less than nine overs. Services comfortably chased down the target of 71 runs in 13.5 overs with eight wickets in hand, securing 13 points from two matches.
Arjun Sharma, who had previously taken a hat-trick in the first innings alongside Mohit Jangra, delivered a remarkable performance with figures of 4/20 in 9.3 overs, contributing to Assam’s quick downfall. Amit Shukla also played a crucial role, taking 3/6 in six overs, including key wickets like Sibsankar Roy. Assam struggled with only three batters reaching double figures, with Sumit Ghadigaonkar top-scoring with 25 runs.
Assam faced an unwanted record on the opening day when Services’ bowlers achieved a rare feat in Ranji Trophy history by claiming two hat-tricks in the same match. Sharma and Jangra’s hat-tricks in the first innings made Assam the first team to concede two hat-tricks in a single Ranji Trophy match.
In their first innings, Assam managed a slim lead of two runs after scoring 110, primarily due to Riyan Parag’s 5/25 and Rahul Singh’s 4/44. During Services’ chase, Parag took 2/31, but Ravi Chauhan’s quick 20 not out off eight balls and Mohit Ahlawat’s 16 not out guided Services past the modest target with just two wickets lost.
The match concluded within just over two days, making it one of the shortest completed games in recent Ranji Trophy history. Despite Riyan Parag’s commendable efforts, Assam’s batting lineup faltered under pressure, earning them a place in the record books for the wrong reasons.