Ranji Trophy: Prabhsimran, Abhishek put Punjab in a commanding position

The Chandigarh-Punjab tie is the first Ranji Trophy match to be played at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mullanpur

Riding high on the outstanding 250-run opening wicket stand between Abhishek Sharma (100) and Prabhsimran Singh (202), Punjab scored 363/3 on Day 1 against Chandigarh during the ongoing Ranji Trophy game at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mullanpur on Tuesday.

Chandigarh’s skipper Manan Vohra invited hosts Punjab to bat first which proved too costly for the fielding side.

The Chandigarh-Punjab tie is the first Ranji Trophy match to be played at the PCA stadium. Chandigarh’s skipper Manan Vohra invited hosts to bat first which proved too costly for the fielding side. Chandigarh bowlers were deprived of wickets even two hours after lunch. Left-arm spinner Gurinder Singh delighted his team with first breakthrough when he caught and bowled Abhishek who scored 100 runs off 146 balls studded with 11 boundaries and two sixes. Later, opener Prabhsimran shared an 82 runs partnership with Naman Dhir to lay a strong foundation for a mammoth total. Thereafter, Rohit Dhanda dismissed Naman Dhir (34) with 332 for two on the board. 21 runs later, Dhanda struck again with the prized wicket of Prabhsimran, who scored his first double hundred in first-class cricket. His brilliant knock of 202 runs was well supported with 28 boundaries and two sixes. With unbeaten batters – captain Mandeep Singh (16) and Anmolpreet Singh (5), Punjab scored 363 for three before the stumps were drawn.