Srinagar, Feb 16: Jammu and Kashmir tightened their grip in the Ranji Trophy first semifinal as their bowlers dismantled Bengal for 328 in 97.1 overs on Day 2.
Riding on another strong spell from Aquib Nabi, J&K built a massive 325 run lead and moved closer to a historic final.
Bengal resumed with hope but struggled to counter sustained pressure. Sudip Gharami stood tall with a patient 146 off 246 balls, striking 21 fours. Abhimanyu Easwaran made 49, while Shahbaz Ahmed scored 42. Sumanta Gupta added a brisk 39. The rest of the batting line up failed to convert starts.
Aquib Nabi led the charge with 5 for 87 in 26 overs. He struck at key moments and removed settled batters. Sunil Kumar supported him with 3 for 41, maintaining tight control. The bowling unit stayed disciplined and denied Bengal any late surge.
With momentum firmly on their side, Jammu and Kashmir now need to press home the advantage and seal a place in the Ranji final.
