Ranji Trophy: Maharashtra scores easy 9-wicket win over J&K

Opener Harshad Khadiwale smashed a run-a-ball 74 to power Maharashtra to an emphatic nine-wicket win over Jammu and Kashmir in Group C match of the Ranji Trophy, on Monday.

Pune: Opener Harshad Khadiwale smashed a run-a-ball 74 to power Maharashtra to an emphatic nine-wicket win over Jammu and Kashmir in Group C match of the Ranji Trophy, here on Monday.

With just 124 runs to chase for an outright win, Khadiwale preferred to adopt an attacking approach and struck as many as 13 boundaries during his unconquered innings to overwhelm the target in 26.2 overs. Vijay Zol (26) and Sangram Dilip Atitkar (21 not out) also made notable contributions in Maharashtra`s chase. Earlier resuming their second innings at the overnight score of 333 for six, skipper Parvez Rasool struck a quickfire unbeaten 64 to delay the inevitable for Jammu and Kashmir, who were eventually bowled out for 439 in 153.5 overs. Rasool took the attack to the opposition and decorated his 65-ball knock with seven hits to the fence and two sixes. Overnight batsmen Samiullah Beigh (23) and Ram Dayal (32) batted for a while before both becoming pacer Shrikant Mundhe`s victims. Mundhe finished with impressive figures of five for 123 while leg-spinner Bharatkumar Solanki scalped three wickets giving away 47 runs. By virtue of this win, Maharashtra pocked six points from the match. Brief Scores: Jammu and Kshmir: 85 and 439 all out in 153.5 overs (Obaid Haroon 94, Bandeep Singh 79; Parvez Rasool 64 not out; Shrikant Mundhe 5/123, Bharatkumar Solanki 3/47) Maharashtra - 401/9 decl & 126 for one in 26.2 overs (Harshad Khadiwale 74 not out; Waseem Raza 1/15).