The Railways-Punjab Elite Group A Ranji Trophy match was interestingly poised after the end of Day 2. Chasing a competitive 276, Punjab were 154 for four in their first innings.
Fortunes swung from one side to the other on Wednesday. Railways did well to add 85 to the overnight total of 191 for six and Karan Sharma was the star, cracking an unbeaten 59 with six fours. There was some resistance from the rest of the tail but Punjab bowled Railways out just before lunch.
Punjab lost opener Ravi Inder Singh in the second over and his partner Sunny Sohal too didn't last long, losing his off stump to Railways skipper Murali Kartik. Mayank Sidana and Uday Kaul batted with determination to steady the ship. They enjoyed some good fortune too as four catches were dropped in the space of three overs, Kartik himself being the culprit on one occasion.
Sidana ensured that Railways rued those missed chances as he completed a tedious 50, off 154 balls. But he failed to carry on for long, edging one to the wicketkeeper off Karan.
{{/usCountry}}Sidana ensured that Railways rued those missed chances as he completed a tedious 50, off 154 balls. But he failed to carry on for long, edging one to the wicketkeeper off Karan.
{{/usCountry}}Kaul, on the other end, continued to score in ones and twos even as Karan picked up another wicket, that of Pankaj Dharmani. Kaul handled the unpredictable bounce well because despite the ball keeping low, Krishnkant Upadhyay got it to jump a few times.At stumps, he was unbeaten on 46 and Railways need him to force a win to enter quarter-finals.