Rajkot: Fast bowler Kuldeep Sen’s five-wicket haul and Abhimanyu Easwaran’s unbeaten half-century helped Rest India beat 2019-20 Ranji champions Saurashtra by eight wickets here on Tuesday to win the Irani Cup for the 29th time. The Rest of India had lost two wickets in 24 runs chasing 105 runs, but Easwaran (65 not out) and wicket-keeper batsman Srikar Bharat (27 not out) did not allow the team to take any blow after that and in the 32nd over brought him to the goal.
Saurashtra captain Jaydev Unadkat (2 for 37) gave the rest of India two setbacks from the start after a fine 89. He dismissed young batsman Yash Dhul (eight) lbw after catching Priyank Panchal (two), who came in as a replacement for Mayank Agarwal, behind the wicket. After this, Easwaran and Bharat shared an unbroken 81-run partnership for the third wicket.
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Saurashtra were reduced to only 98 runs in the first innings, in response to which Rest of India made 374 runs and took a strong lead of 276 runs. Saurashtra scored 380 runs in the second innings. Saurashtra extended their second innings at 368 for eight on the morning of the fourth day of the match but they added 12 runs and lost the remaining two wickets. Captain Unadkat was the last batsman to be dismissed.
For Rest of India, fast bowler Kuldeep Sen took both the wickets and took five wickets for 94 runs in the innings. In the second innings too, Saurashtra’s score was at one point 87 for five and they were in danger of losing the innings, but half-centuries from Sheldon Jackson (71), Arpit Vasavada (55), Prerak Mankad (72) and Unadkat With the help, he was able to drag the match till the fourth day. In this match, all eyes were on Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara but he failed in both the innings. (agency)