Ranji Trophy QF: Uttarakhand clinch big win, J&K on course

A batting collapse on either side of an 86-run stand between skipper Virat Singh (55) and Kumar Kushagra (34) saw Jharkhand slump to an innings and six-run loss to Uttarakhand. The duo came together at 14/2, but once Jharkhand reached 100, both set batters fell on the same score and the middle and lower order could only muster 30 more. Mayank Mishra (5/22) and Abhay Negi (4/36) starred with the ball, after Uttarakhand had secured a 136-run first-innings lead.

Sudip Kumar Gharami batted the entirety of Day 3 to convert his hundred into an unbeaten double century, propelling Bengal to a 123-run lead by stumps against Andhra in Kalyani. Sumanta Gupta, the overnight unbeaten batter, missed out on his century by 19 runs in the only wicket Andhra secured. After the 165-run stand was broken, Gharami then found company in Habib Gandhi (45*) to take the team to 418/6.

Auqib Nabi (3/23) and Abid Mushtaq (2/19) have put J&K on course for a famous victory over Madhya Pradesh, reducing them to 76/5 in a chase of 291. The MP openers started with a cautious 34-run stand but the duo fell in quick succession. Nabi and Abid struck at regular intervals to leave them in a tight spot at 87/5 at stumps on Day 3. Earlier, lower-order contributions from Vanshaj Sharma (54), Abid (41) and Sunil Kumar (25) took J&K to a respectable 248 in the second innings, despite being 73/5 at one stage.

KL Rahul's unbeaten 60, and an 84-run stand with Devdutt Padikkal (39) saw Karnataka close Day 3 on 113/2, still 212 runs adrift of victory over Mumbai. Tanush Kotian struck the late blow to send the Karnataka No. 3 packing, but Karun Nair (9 not out) joined hands with Rahul to keep Karnataka's hopes alive. Earlier in the day, a counter-attacking 89-run stand in just 82 deliveries between Kotian (48 not out) and Tushar Deshpande (47) helped Mumbai finish with 377 in their second innings, setting Karnataka a 325-run target to progress to the semifinals.