Match interestingly poised after Bhagath’s all-round show

Hyderabad: Debutant Bhagath Varma helped Hyderabad take a slender 3-run first innings lead with a quickfire 46 (60 balls, 4x4, 3x6) and grabbed two crucial wickets of Assam’s last match centurions against Delhi Rishav Das (34) and Gokul Sharma (9) on the second day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, on Wednesday.
At stumps on day 2, Assam were 182 for the loss of six wickets after a typical T20 knock by Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Riyan Parag (78; 28b, 8x4, 6x6), who also returned with a four-wicket haul with a with a tidy spell earlier in the day. The match seems to be heading for a close finish with Assam 179 runs ahead with just four wickets in hand.
Earlier, Hyderabad, who resumed at 78 for three, seemed to be going smoothly before left-arm pacer Sunil Lachit broke the partnership by dismissing overnight batsman Rahul Buddhi for 35 (71b, 4x6). Rahul added 67 runs for the fourth wicket with another overnight batsman Rohit Rayudu (60; 169b, 6x4).
All-rounder Riyan Parag, who came on to bowl in the 46th over, struck crucial bowls and returned with a four-wicket haul (20-6-48-4) to reduce Hyderabad to 171 for nine shortly after lunch. Rohit Rayadu’s long vigil ended when he was stumped by wicketkeeper Kunal Saikia just before lunch. However, debutant Bhagath Varma added 37 runs runs for the last wicket with Kartikeya Kak (4 not out off 9 balls) and helped Hyderabad cross the 200-run mark. Bhagath hit two sixes off Riyan Parag and one of Siddharth Sarmah and helped them take lead in the 66th over before being dismissed in the same over as Hyderabad were all out for 208.
Brief scores: Assam 205 & 182/6 in 39 overs (Rishav Das 34, Riyan Parag 78, Swarupam Purkayastha batting 22; Bhagath Varma 2/14) vs Hyderabad 208 in 66.5 overs (K Rohit Rayudu 60, Bhagath Varma 46, Rahul Buddhi 35; Riyan Parag 4/48, Mukhtar Hussain 3/62).