Akash Deep was standing at the edge of the line and Unadkat did no mistake.
At a time when Bengal needed their batsmen to stay long and take the first-innings lead over Saurashtra to lift the Ranji Trophy, Bengal lost their 4 wickets in the first session only. It was the first chance for them in three decades to win the Ranji trophy but wickets kept falling on regular intervals and Saurashtra emerged as Ranji Trophy Champions on Friday.
Meanwhile, Day 5 witnessed an awkward moment in the middle when Bengal lost Anustup Majumdar and Akash Deep was the new man in. Saurashtra captain Jayadev Unadkat had picked up his first wicket of the final. It was already a game-changing over.
On strike, Akash Deep made things worse for his side when he was beaten outside off-stump by a length delivery on the second delivery. No harm done though. But his back-foot, however, was outside the crease and the Saurashtra keeper Avi Barot missed the direct hit.
Presence of mind ✅
Direct hit ✅
Wicket ✅Watch how Saurashtra skipper Jaydev Unadkat ran out Akash Deep in the @paytm #RanjiTrophy 2019-20 #Final.
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) March 13, 2020
Akash Deep had to pay the price for poor game awareness. Unadkat picked up the ball and hit the stumps. This time the direct hit was good and the batsman was still looking down on his back-foot that was on the line. TV umpire found Akash Deep out. It was a big blow for Bengal as it was their second wicket in the same over.
Skipper Jaydev Unadkat produced a lion-hearted spell when it mattered the most and paved the way for Saurashtra’s maiden Ranji Trophy title triumph on the basis of the first-innings lead. Bengal had the upper hand going into day five after Anustup Majumdar (63) and Arnab Nandi (40 not out) shared an unbeaten 91-run stand in the final session Thursday.
But Unadkat, who had single-handily taken Saurashtra into the final with a seven-wicket haul against Gujarat on the final day of their semifinal, rose to the occasion yet again to put his team on the cusp of a historic victory.