Delhi became the first team from Group A to qualify for the next round of Ranji Trophy 2017/18 after the Ishant Sharma-led side defeated Maharashtra by a margin of an innings and 61 runs on day 3 of the game at Palam A stadium in Delhi.

On the penultimate day of the game, Delhi bowlers scalped 12 wickets to ensure an extra rest day.

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The day started with Maharashtra reeling with a score of 59/8. They were successful in making Delhi fielders toil for a while and added 40 runs, before being bowled out a total of 99 in just 35 overs. Ishant Sharma starred with the bowl, as he scalped three wickets. He was supported by Navdeep Saini, Manan Sharma and debutant Lalit Yadav, who all grabbed two wickets.

Delhi wasted no time in asking Maharashtra to bat again. In the third over, Ishant once again got an early breakthrough and dismissed Murtaza Trunkwala on a duck.

In the second innings, Rahul Tripathi was the only pick of the batsmen, as the T20 specialist played an innings of 106 off just 78 deliveries. His innings included 12 fours and four sixes. Apart from him, Rahul Motwani (39) and Chirag Khurana (33) showed some resistance, but the pair of Navdeep Saini and Vikas Mishra toppled Maharashtra line-up. Both the bowers took four wickets apiece, with Ishant taking rest of two wickets.

With this win, Delhi qualified for the next round while Karnataka, who is facing Uttar Pradesh, has almost fixed its place in the next round and the end of final day’s play will put them in the next round officially.

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Group A –

Brief Score: Delhi 419/10 (Nitish Rana 174, Rishab Pant 99; Satyajeet Bachhav 4-87) vs Maharashtra 99 & 259 (Rahul Tripathi 106, Rohit Motwani 39; Navdeep Saini 4-57, Vikas Mishra 4-90) at Palam Stadium in New Delhi.

Brief Score: Karnataka 1st Innings 655 vs Uttar Pradesh 243/5 (Umang Sharma 89; Ronit More 2/54) in Kanpur.

Brief Score: Hyderabad 326 vs Railways 136 and 300/7 (Amit Sinha 96; M Ravi Kiran 2/61) in Guwahati.

Group B –