Hubballi, Feb 27 (.) What appeared to be a predictable Ranji Trophy final slowly transformed into a gripping psychological and emotional battle as pride, aggression and tactical cricket collided on Day 4. Despite Karnataka being left stranded at 155 for 4 and staring at a massive 446-run deficit, the contest between Qamran Iqbal and Vijaykumar Vyshak ensured the match retained its edge-of-the-seat drama.
Qamran played with swagger and authority, standing firm on 74 and continuing his knock with a clear intent to push Jammu and Kashmir further ahead. His innings reflected control, confidence, and an ability to absorb pressure while slowly dismantling Karnataka’s bowling rhythm. Karnataka, despite being far behind on the scoreboard, fought hard through aggressive body language and tactical bowling changes.
The contest between Qamran and Vyshak quickly turned feisty as the bowler attempted to break the batsman’s momentum with a skiddy back-of-a-length delivery. Qamran shuffled across his stumps but was struck on the thigh pad while attempting to work the ball away. The loud appeal that followed sparked immediate on-field chatter, with Vyshak walking halfway down the pitch with crossed arms and exchanging sharp words with the batter, who responded with confident and unflinching body language.
The tension required multiple interventions from umpire Rohan Pandit, who urged Vyshak to focus on bowling rather than getting emotionally drawn into verbal exchanges. Qamran also displayed tactical awareness, at one stage signalling teammate Sahil Lotra about the possibility of a leg-cutter delivery, showing that the batter was reading the game situation closely.
The defining moment of the duel came when Vyshak bowled a shortish delivery angling across Qamran, who responded with aggressive intent, cutting powerfully over deep backward point for a clean, crowd-silencing six. The shot swung momentum in his favour and intensified the verbal exchanges, with Vyshak pointing towards the batter in frustration before the umpire again rushed in to restore calm.
The emotional drama was not confined to this duel alone. Earlier in the match, another flashpoint occurred when Paras Dogra and Aneesh Karthik were involved in a brief head-butting following a tight play situation. Teammates from both sides quickly intervened to prevent escalation, while match officials ensured play continued without disruption.
As the final moved deeper into the day, the contest evolved into more than just a battle of runs and wickets. It became a clash of pride, nerves, and psychological resilience, with Jammu and Kashmir tightening their grip on the championship while Karnataka kept fighting for any possible opening to stay alive in the contest. The closing stages promised further drama as neither side was willing to concede an inch in the high-stakes final.
. . .