Patna: Bihar made an excellent start in the Ranji Trophy Plate Group final as they finished the first day on 328 runs for the loss of seven wickets. The match is being played at the Moin-ul-Haq Stadium in Patna, and the home team showed great patience and determination with the bat. After losing the toss, Bihar were asked to bat first, which meant they had to face fresh bowlers and a new ball. Even though the pitch offered some early help to the bowlers, the Bihar players stayed calm and focused, slowly building a strong total by the end of the day.
The beginning was not easy for Bihar. Openers Himanshu Singh and Piyush Kumar Singh were dismissed quickly, putting the team under pressure. However, the middle-order batsmen stepped up when it mattered most. Mangalmay Mahraur played a steady knock of 43 runs, while Akash Raj gave the innings stability with a solid 50 from 101 balls. Ayush Lohruka and Pratap also added some important runs, helping Bihar recover from their early losses and keep the innings on track.
The real turning point of the day was the partnership between captain Sakibul Gani and wicketkeeper-batsman Bipin Saurabh. Sakibul led his team with confidence and skill, scoring a fine 108 runs from 155 balls. His innings included 11 boundaries and three sixes, and it showed both patience and attacking intent. He carefully built his innings and made sure Bihar did not lose control at any stage. His century gave the team a strong base to aim for a big total.
After Sakibul was out, Bipin Saurabh continued to bat with great responsibility and confidence. He remained unbeaten on 75 runs, while Khalid supported him well with 18 not out. Together, they took Bihar past the 300-run mark, which is a very important position in a final. For Manipur, Rex and Jotin Pheiroijam took two wickets each and tried their best to slow down the scoring, but the Bihar batsmen stayed disciplined and did not throw away their wickets.
By the end of the first day, the match was clearly in Bihar’s favour. The Bihar Cricket Association described the performance as very positive and said the team will try to build on this strong start on the second day. With runs already on the board and two set batsmen at the crease, Bihar will be hoping to post an even bigger total and put Manipur under serious pressure in this important final.
