Hyderabad’s Himateja Hits 81 But Punjab Take Lead in Ranji Trophy Match

Hyderabad: Punjab gained the upper hand against Hyderabad after taking a first-innings lead of 51 runs on the third day of their Ranji Trophy third round match at the Gymkhana Ground here on Wednesday.

Hyderabad made 380 in 119.5 overs in reply to Punjab’s first-innings total of 431. Overnight batsman K. Himateja scored 81 and Pragnay Reddy added 65. However, Vihaan Malhotra’s impressive figures of 4/15 proved a key bowling performance for Punjab.

Punjab finished the day at 57 without loss in 24 overs in their second innings, extending their overall lead to 108 runs with all 10 wickets intact. With three days of play completed, Punjab are well placed to strengthen their position, while Hyderabad will need early breakthroughs to prevent the deficit from growing further.

Brief Scores: Punjab 431 in 124.5 overs & 57 for no loss in 24 overs vs Hyderabad 380 in 119.5 overs (Rahul Radhesh 86, K. Himateja 81, Pragnay Reddy 65, Vihaan Malhotra 4/15).