Photo via Hindustan Times

Ranji Trophy: Zeeshan Ansari spins UP into command vs Goa

Uttar Pradesh’s leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari delivered a masterclass in spin bowling to turn the tide for his side in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A clash against Goa. After Rinku Singh’s unbeaten 118 set UP on a commanding 202-run platform, Ansari dismantled Goa’s batting with a five-wicket haul (5/45), reducing them to 164 and handing his team a 38-run first-innings lead.

The match at Kanpur’s Green Park Stadium saw Goa’s early resistance crumble after Suyash Prabhudessai and Shivendra Bhujbal fell in quick succession, with Ansari’s disciplined line and length stifling any recovery. His dismissal of Bhujbal for 44 triggered a collapse, as Goa’s middle order folded for just 61 more runs, bowled out in 61.3 overs.

UP extended their lead to 140 by stumps, with Ansari’s all-round contribution—including a fifty in his comeback match—proving pivotal as the hosts chased down a competitive score on a pitch favoring spin. In their second innings, UP lost early wickets to Goa’s Yash Kasvankar but steadied with Aryan Juyal’s 60 and Karan Sharma’s 31, reaching 102/4 at the close of Day 2.

Up nextCricket· 34m ago

Uttarakhand spinner Mayank Mishra focussed on ‘process’ despite Duleep Trophy snub