Ranji Trophy: Shivam Sharma’s Five-Wicket Haul Guides Delhi to Dominant Win Over Railways

Delhi Thrash Railways by an Innings and 19 Runs in Final Group D League Match

New Delhi: Off-spinner Shivam Sharma delivered a stellar performance with a five-wicket haul as Delhi crushed Railways by an innings and 19 runs to secure a dominant victory in their final Ranji Trophy Group D league stage match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday.

Although the comprehensive win earned Delhi a bonus point, it wasn’t enough to secure a spot in the Ranji Trophy knockouts. The match concluded inside three days, thanks to Shivam’s brilliant spell and Railways’ lackluster batting display.

Also Read: Vicky Kaushal to Rashmika: “Your Recovery Is More Important Than Anything Else”

Shivam Sharma’s Brilliant Spell

Shivam’s return to first-class cricket after almost four years was nothing short of impressive. He took 5 wickets for just 33 runs in 11 overs, marking his third five-wicket haul in red-ball cricket. Railways were dismissed for 114 in their second innings, falling short by a huge margin.

Delhi’s First Innings Declared at 374

Delhi, resuming their innings on 334/7, managed to add a few more runs before being bowled out for 374 in 106.4 overs. Sumit Mathur, who had been solid, fell for 86 while Siddhant Sharma was dismissed for 6. Himanshu Sangwan’s 4-wicket haul brought Delhi’s innings to a close.

Railways’ Struggle in Second Innings

Railways were forced to rearrange their batting order as Anchit Yadav was unavailable due to an injury. Delhi struck early when Siddhant Sharma dismissed Railways captain Suraj Ahuja, and Shivam followed up by dismissing Vivek Singh and Mohammad Saif.

Despite a brief interruption in play when spectators entered the field to meet Virat Kohli, Delhi’s bowlers kept up the pressure. Railways were reduced to 74/4 at lunch, and despite brief resistance from Ayan Chaudhari, Delhi’s bowlers cleaned up the remaining wickets. Shivam completed his five-wicket haul, and Ayush Badoni finished off the match by taking the final wicket.

Delhi’s Resounding Victory

Delhi wrapped up the game in style, securing a massive win by an innings and 19 runs, with Shivam’s brilliant spell and contributions from other players like Ayush Badoni and Sumit Mathur leading the charge.

Brief Scores:

• Railways: 241 in 67.4 overs and 114/9 in 30.5 overs (Mohammad Saif 31, Ayan Chaudhari 30 not out; Shivam Sharma 5-33)
• Delhi: 374 in 106.4 overs (Ayush Badoni 99, Sumit Mathur 86; Himanshu Sangwan 4-55, Kunal Yadav 3-104)

Delhi’s comprehensive win ended their 2024/25 domestic season on a high note, though they fell short of qualifying for the knockout stages.