Internet Desk: Jharkhand scripts a remarkable victory over Jammu & Kashmir today as MS Dhoni’s team earned their place into the quarterfinals of the domestic cricket one day event for the Vijay Hazare Trophy today.
Their campaign went in tatters after their 21-run loss to Hyderabad, Jharkhand not only needed a victory by a handsome margin against Jammu and Kashmir but also wanted Hyderabad to lose versus Services as both pluck and luck went hand-in-hand for MS Dhoni’s team.
Hyderabad had cleared Dhoni’s hurdle at Eden Gardens in the afternoon after losing to Services by five wickets in a meek surrender when they were shot out for 88 in 28.5 overs, a target that took Services 20.2 overs to cruise home.
Over to the Bengal Cricket Academy in Kalyani about 50 kilometres from Kolkata, where excitement soared as thousands were seen screaming ‘Dhoni, Dhoni’ before the most successful Indian skipper stole their hearts playing the finisher’s role with his unbeaten on 19 from 17 balls (2×4, 1×6).
Chasing 185, which was possible after Shahbaz Nadeem’s (5/42) second five-wicket haul bowled out Jammu and Kashmir in 43 overs, Dhoni finished the game in his trademark style with a huge six over fine leg.
He pulled Mehjoor Ali to seal a six-wicket chase with 15 overs to spare as Jharkhand joined toppers Karnataka as group D qualifiers for the knock-out round in March 13-18 in New Delhi.
The rooftops of buildings dotting the venue wore a packed look, while there was a half-day in the Kalyani University Experimental High School overlooking the ground, as both teachers and students kept on chanting in unison with ‘Dhoni-Dhoni’.
Dhoni did not have to bat in their facile win over Services here as the frustrated crowd once again booed the last match centurion Saurabh Tiwary ‘Hi Hi’, the burly lefthander looked to seal the 185-run chase in his 30-ball 30 studded with two sixes and one four.
So the biggest cheer came on 156/3 in 30.1 overs when Anshuman Singh dismissed Tiwary as the Indian icon finally came on to bat at number 5 with just 29 runs needed.
The excitement shot up as Singh removed the Jharkhand topscorer Kumar Deobrat (78 from 94 balls; 5×4, 4×6) three balls later when the number three got out after playing two crucial partnerships with Shasheem Rathour (36) and Tiwary.
But as anticipated, Dhoni dished out the finishing shot on a day he made some clever decisions with their leftarm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem (5/42) returning with his second five-wicket haul to bowl out Jammu and Kashmir for 184 in 43 overs after opting to field.
This was Deobrat’s first game of the meet after being brought in place of Virat Singh, while Rathour made his List A debut in place of Anand Singh on a day Dhoni made three changes in their must-win match. The third change was of seamer Monu Kumar who replaced Jaskaran Singh and conceded just 23 runs from his seven overs.
Having won the toss, Dhoni was quick to put Jammu and Kashmir in as they were 39/2 inside 12 overs with Varun Aaron and Rahul Shukla claiming one each.
Jharkhand’s wobbly fielding once again was a big setback for Dhoni as Ishan Jaggi dropped opener Owais Shah on zero as he was quick to remove him from the position.
The drop proved costly as the lefthander revived Jammu and Kashmir with his careerbest 59 in a 66-run partnership with skipper Parvez Rasool (45).
Shah was patient in his knock as he took 106 balls and hit five fours but introduction of spin in Nadeem and offspinner Kaushal Singh (2/31) dented their revival.
Nadeem gave the breakthrough after Rasool tried to sweep and play across the line to top-edge to Rahul Shukla at fine leg, before Shukla claimed two wickets in two overs to derail their opponents as the leftarm spinner now has 14 wickets from six matches.
The left-arm spinner dismissed Shah off his own bowling as Jammu and Kashmir lost eight wickets in 79 runs.
Inputs from PTI.