Shubham Khajuria starred with the bat and Auqib Nabi with the ball as J&K senior cricket team cruised their way into the quarterfinal of the Vijay Hazare Trophy One Day tournament yesterday.
In the pre-quarterfinal played at Gujarat College Cricket Ground A, Ahmedabad, J&K outplayed Kerala by seven wickets to power their into the quarterfinal of the tournament. It was the first time ever J&K had qualified for the knockout stage of the prestigious tournament and with this win, they have carried it one step further. It will be the first-ever quarterfinal for J&K in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Earlier, put into bat, Kerala scored a modest total of 174 runs in 47.4 overs. Vinoop Sheela Manoharan top scored with 62 runs off 81 balls while Sijomon Joseph and Akhil Scaria contributed 32 and 23 runs to the total respectively. Auqib Nabi was the pick of the bowlers for J&K, taking four wickets by conceding 39 runs in his 10 overs, while Yudhvir Singh who conceded just 16 runs in his 7.4 overs took two wickets. Mujtaba Yousuf, Vivrant Sharma, Abid Mushtaq and Sahil Lotra claimed one wicket each.
In reply, J&K chased the target easily in 37.5 overs, losing three wickets in the process, thus winning the match by seven wickets. Shubham Khajuria and Qamran Iqbal notch up brilliant half-centuries and had an opening partnership of 133 runs in a low-scoring affair. Henan Malik and Fazil Rashid completed the formality in style. Shubham Khajuria was in sublime touch, scoring 76 off 61 deliveries, studded with 5 boundaries and 6 sixes. Qamran took 96 balls to make 51 with 7 boundaries. Henan and Fazil made unbeaten 14 and 13 runs respectively while Vivrant contributed 13 runs to the total.
J&K will take on Assam in the quarterfinals on November 28.
