Pune: With the top order faltering and the lower middle order engaged in a tough battle to save the match, Kerala faces a tense final session to survive against the formidable Jammu and Kashmir in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final at Pune. As of now, Kerala is in a precarious position at 206 for 6, with Salman Nisar, the hero of the first innings, and Mohammad Azharuddin at the crease, having scored 14 and 13 runs, respectively.

Kerala's hopes rest on the partnership between these two, as their ability to stay at the wicket will determine the team's fate in the Ranji Trophy. While the team needs 193 more runs to win the match, their primary task is to avoid getting all out in the final session to save the game. If Kerala manages to avoid defeat, they will progress to the semi-finals, having secured a crucial first-innings lead of one run, thanks to the brilliant century by Salman Nisar.

Kerala started the fifth day with the score at 100 for 2. Though Akshay Chandran and Sachin Baby did their best to steady the ship, both were dismissed after scoring 48 runs each. Soon after, dependable batters Jalaj Saxena (18) and Aditya Sarwate (8) were sent back to the dressing room by the J&K bowlers, leaving the score at 180 for 6. Since then, Nisar and Azharuddin have been resisting the J&K bowlers’ firepower, giving Kerala some hope.

Earlier, in the second innings, Jammu and Kashmir declared at 399 for 9, setting Kerala a target of 399 runs. Salman Nisar’s performance in the first innings was pivotal for Kerala, as his century helped the team secure a one-run lead in the first innings. From a precarious position of 200 for 9, Nisar, in partnership with Basil Thampi, took the score to 281. Nisar remained unbeaten on 112 runs, while Basil scored 15 runs. Jammu and Kashmir, who batted first, scored 280 runs in their first innings.