Mumbai, February 2: Jammu and Kashmir did not take the field at the start of the third day of their ongoing Elite Group A Ranji Trophy clash against Baroda alleging that the pitch was tampered with overnight to favour the home team at the Reliance Stadium in Vadodara, a report said on Saturday. According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, J&K alleged that the pitch was tampered to help the home team Baroda force an outright win to ensure qualification for the quarterfinal stage and play was held up for one hour and 25 minutes in the first session on Saturday. Ranji Trophy 2024–25: Pacers Help Bengal Register Bonus Point Win Over Punjab; Nishant Sindhu Ton Keeps Haryana Ahead Against Karnataka.

J&K, Baroda and Mumbai are involved in a three-pronged battled for knockouts qualification from Group A with only two teams from each group set to progress. On Saturday, Mumbai crushed Meghalaya by an innings and 456 runs for their biggest ever victory by innings' margin to win with a bonus point.

The contest in Vadodara began only at 10:55am on Saturday after the intervention of the match referee Arjan Kripal Singh. When PTI contacted an official travelling with the Jammu and Kashmir team on the matter, he denied having any such information. Virat Kohli Mania Hits Crescendo As Fans Breach Security To Enter Ground in Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy 2024–25 Match (Watch Video).

“I do not know anything about it,” he told PTI.

The report added that match officials extended play by one hour on Saturday, with the Baroda Cricket Association stating that the dampness in the pitch was the cause, which is not unusual during the winter season. Jammu and Kashmir, resuming at 125/1 on Day Three, were bowled out for 284 in their second innings, setting a target of 365 for Baroda to win. The hosts reached 58 for two at stumps, needing another 307 runs on the final day.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)