A stellar unbeaten century from Sheikh Rashid lit up Anantapur as Andhra Pradesh romped to an 8-wicket victory over Vidarbha in the Ranji Trophy. Needing 259 to win, Andhra achieved it losing just 2 wickets, with Rashid’s 132* standing tall.
The innings kicked off with a setback—Abhishek Reddy out for 11 at 15. S Bharat and Rashid responded with a solid 99-run alliance for the second wicket before Bharat departed for 43.
Captain Ricky Bhui then took charge alongside Rashid, their 145-run unbroken stand ensuring a comfortable chase. Rashid faced 144 balls, peppering the boundary 21 times. Bhui remained unbeaten on 64, blasting 7 fours and 2 sixes.
Vidarbha’s lone wicket-taker was Nachiket Bhute. Match context: Vidarbha batted first after winning toss, Yash Rathod’s 115 helping them to 295. Andhra’s 228 left them 67 behind.
The visitors’ second innings ended at 191, setting up the chase Andhra nailed. This marks Vidarbha’s first first-class defeat in 16 games since the 2023/24 Ranji final heartbreak.
Rashid’s knock not only won the game but highlighted Andhra’s batting prowess, positioning them favorably in the points table.