Chhattisgarh Gains Upper Hand in Under-23 Col C K Nayudu Trophy Clash
In a compelling display of youth cricket, Chhattisgarh has seized a significant advantage against Uttar Pradesh in their Under-23 Col C K Nayudu Trophy encounter. The third day of play at the BSP Stadium in Bhilai saw the hosts secure a crucial 51-run first-innings lead, putting themselves in a commanding position to push for victory.
Century and Stubborn Partnership Propel Chhattisgarh
Resuming their innings at 4 for 272, Chhattisgarh added 114 runs to post a formidable first-innings total of 386. The highlight of the morning session was overnight batsman Sahil Rajat Shariff, who completed a fine century before being bowled by Shubham Mishra for 103 runs off 198 balls. His innings, which included 11 fours and a six, provided the backbone for Chhattisgarh's batting effort.
Despite disciplined bowling from UP that reduced Chhattisgarh to 329 for 8, a resilient ninth-wicket partnership between Mayank Yadav and Varun Singh Bhute dashed the visitors' hopes. The duo added 51 runs off 176 balls, frustrating UP's attack and extending Chhattisgarh's lead. Mayank contributed 20 runs from 86 balls before being caught, while Varun remained unbeaten on 33 off 105 deliveries, hitting 4 boundaries.
UP's Bowling Efforts and Second Innings Struggles
For Uttar Pradesh, Shubham Mishra emerged as the standout bowler, claiming an impressive 5 wickets for 101 runs. His performance kept UP in contention during the early stages of Chhattisgarh's innings, but the hosts' lower-order resistance proved too much to overcome.
In reply, UP's second innings began disastrously, losing two wickets for just 12 runs within the first 6 overs. Deepak Rana departed for a duck, while Kavya Teotia managed only 2 runs. Captain Adarsh Singh and Rituraj Sharma attempted to stabilize the innings, but UP lost their third wicket at 45, with Adarsh run out for 26 off 48 balls. Kartikeya Singh fell soon after, trapped leg-before by Mayank Yadav for just 1 run.
Match Situation and Prospects for Final Day
At stumps on the third day, Rituraj Sharma remained unbeaten on 32, with Mohd Aman on 3, as UP reached 4 for 73 in their second innings. This leaves them with a slender lead of 22 runs, but with only 6 wickets in hand.
For Uttar Pradesh to salvage a favourable result, they will need to score quickly on the fourth and final day, set a target of around 250 runs, and then attempt to dismiss Chhattisgarh cheaply—a challenging task given the hosts' strong batting performance. Failure to do so could open the door for Chhattisgarh to push for an outright victory, capitalizing on their first-innings advantage.
The match highlights the growing competitiveness in India's domestic youth cricket circuit, with both teams showing moments of brilliance despite Chhattisgarh currently holding the upper hand.
Brief Scores:
Uttar Pradesh – First innings: 335; Second innings: 4 for 73 (Adarsh Singh 26, Deepak Rana 0, Kavya Teotia 2, Rituraj Sharma batting 32, Kartikeya Singh 1, Mohd Aman batting 3; Deepak Yadav 1 for 19, Prashant Sai Painkra 1 for 10, Mayank Yadav 1 for 5).
Chhattisgarh – First innings: 386 (Pratham Jachak 80, Shobhit Sharma 63, Harsh Sahu 15, Sahil Rajat Shariff 103, Rahul Pradhan 21, Vivek Tomar 22, Deepak Yadav 5, Mayank Yadav 20, Vasudev Bareth 0, Varun Singh Bhute 33, Prashant Sai Painkra 2; Vishal Tomar 2 for 49, Shubham Mishra 5 for 101, Akshu Bajwa 1 for 95, Mohd Aman 1 for 13, Rituraj Sharma 1 for 37).
