Khajuria’s massive 159 falls short as Chhattisgarh drubs J&K in high scoring game

Vizag, Jan 3: Despite achieving a rare feat of scoring highest runs in an innings of all three formats of Senior Men’s Cricket, J&K’s batting mainstay Shubham Khajuria’s massive 159 runs Friday went in vain as Chhattisgarh outplayed J&K Jammu and Kashmir by 7 wickets in a high scoring match of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy at Dr YS Rajasekhara ACA VDCA Cricket Stadium, Vizag.
With today’s 159 runs, Shubham has now become the highest scorer in an innings for J&K in all three formats of Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, scoring 255, 159 and 85 runs respectively.
Earlier, put into bat, J&K scored a huge total of 337 runs in 47.3 overs. Shubham Khajuria scored 159 runs off 115 balls, studded with 20 fours and 5 sixes. He took the bowlers on a leather-hunt, tore them with power and punch and hit the ball with fluidity and grace.
Beginning the innings with opener Vivrant Sharma (42), the duo made a partnership of 100 runs in 15.4 overs, before Vivrant’s dismissal. Shubham continued brilliance and made another partnership of 100 runs with Musaif Ajaz (27), taking the team’s total to 200 runs in 26.1 overs before Musaif’s departure. Lone Nasir Muzaffar (32 off 37 balls) was the only other major contributor.
Ravi Kiran was the most successful bowler for Chhattisgarh who took 3 wickets, while Harsh Yadav and Gagandeep Singh claimed 2 wickets each.
In reply, Chhattisgarh rode on big centuries by Ashutosh Singh and Sanjeet Desai, besides fireworks by PM Yadav and Amandeep Khare to chase the target in 48.3 overs by losing 3 wickets, thus winning the match by 7 wickets. Ashutosh scored 127 runs off 104 balls studded with 9 fours and 6 massive sixes, while Sanjeet contributed 128 off 139 balls with 12 boundaries and 3 sixes. Yadav remained unconquered on 51 runs off just 33 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes, while skipper Khare remained unbeaten on 21 runs off 15 balls with 2 fours. Auqib Nabi, Lone Nasir Muzaffar and Yudhvir Singh claimed one wicket each for J&K.