Srinagar: J&K senior cricket team has created history for the first time by qualifying for the knockout stage of Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day tournament.
With a win in its last group match on Wednesday against Uttrakhand, J&K finished in second place in the group. Punjab with six wins out of six games stands at top of the points table while J&K with five wins out of six games stands in second place.
J&K in the pre-quarterfinal would be taking on Kerala on November 26 at Ahmedabad. It is the first time that the J&K cricket team has qualified for the knockout stage of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Earlier in its sixth and last group match of the tournament, J&K outplayed Uttarakhand at Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.
Put into bat, Uttarakhand scored 251 runs in the stipulated 50 overs, losing six wickets in the process. PS Khanduri top scored with 97 runs off 125 balls while Swapnil K Singh contributed 61 off 82 balls. D Negi made a brisk 52 off 48 balls. Auqib Nabi was the pick of the bowlers for J&K, taking three wickets while Yudhvir Singh and Mujtaba Yousuf claimed two wickets each.
In reply, J&K rode on a huge opening partnership of 182 runs between Vivrant Sharma and Shubham Khajuria and chased the target easily in 42.2 overs by losing one wicket to win the match by nine wickets. Vivrant scored a brilliant ton of unbeaten 154 off 124 balls, studded with 18 fours and 6 sixes. Shubham made a superb 71 off 90 balls with 11 fours and one six. Henan Nazir remained unbeaten on 24 runs.