Ranji Trophy Final: Shubham Pundir’s century, Yawar Hasan’s 88 put J&K ahead against Karnataka | Cricket News –

A brilliant unbeaten century from Shubham Bunder and an 88 from youngster Yawar Hasan put Jammu and Kashmir firmly in front on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy final, as they closed on 284 for two against Karnataka on Tuesday.The 27-year-old left-hander Bunder remained unbeaten on 117 on stumps, with Abdul Samad providing solid support on 52. The duo added 105 sustained runs for the third wicket after skipper Paras Dogra was forced to retire injured.

Earlier, Pundir and Yawer set the stage with a crucial 139-run partnership for the second wicket against the eight-time champions, whose batsmen have traditionally enjoyed success at this venue.Pundir raised his century in emphatic fashion, firing Shikhar Shetty to deep mid-wicket for a six. He celebrated by taking off his helmet and raising his arms toward the locker room.On a surface that is expected to deteriorate as the match progresses, the Jammu and Kashmir team made the right call at the toss. Dogra was chosen to bat first, a predictable decision given the circumstances.Playing their first Ranji Trophy final after an impressive knockout run that included away victories over Madhya Pradesh and Bengal, J&K suffered an early setback when Qamran Iqbal (6) fell cheaply.

The opener edged a delivery from Prasidh Krishna that straightened slightly, with KL Rahul completing a straight catch to the slips. Lack of movement contributed to the dismissal.However, J&K’s decision to bat first was vindicated by Yawer and Pundir, who took the team to 104 for one at lunch. Yawar were unbeaten with a score of 57 in the first innings, while Pundir were on 38, as they handled Karnataka’s experienced attack with composure.The conditions were difficult, with many passes, misses and some lucky strikes, but the pair negotiated the new ball effectively. Although they did not always bowl well, they alternated batting steadily at a rate of about three runs each time, building a great partnership.Karnataka’s bowlers – three spinners and leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal – maintained disciplined lines and lengths but saw little reward. Gopal, who entered the final as the season’s leading wicket-taker with 55 scalps, beat the bat on several occasions.

However, Yawar and Bondir stressed that he never settled on a rhythm.The 22-year-old Yawar, who made his first-class debut in Rohit Sharma’s last red-ball appearance in 2025 and went nine matches without a half-century, rose to the occasion with a assertive innings that included 13 boundaries.Just when he looked ready for the first hundred, Yawar fell to Prasidh Krishna, edged by KL Rahul at first slip – a dismissal similar to Qumran’s earlier in the day.Before claiming the wicket, Prasidh Yawar was tested by a sharp bouncer who hit him on the body and required medical attention.Dogra also suffered a blow when Prasidhya’s guard hit him on the neck. The seamer called for a catch at short forward leg, suspecting a glove deflection, but replays confirmed there was no contact. Although he was cleared of dismissal, Dogra needed treatment and was attended by a doctor.After taking several hits and further evaluation from the team staff, Dogra eventually left after a nod from coach Ajay Sharma, paving the way for Abdul Samad to join Bunder.From there, Pundir prevailed and held on comfortably, extending their partnership beyond the hundred mark and solidly cementing Jammu and Kashmir’s standing at the end of a thrilling opening day.