The Assam vs Services match in the Ranji Trophy ended in a bizarre contest, as it became the shortest red-ball contest in the history of the tournament. Both teams played only 90 overs, with 32 wickets falling in the four innings of the game.
Ranji Trophy will soon celebrate its 91st birthday and before that, the shortest match completed in terms of balls has been recorded in the history of the tournament.
Red-ball match completed in shortest time recorded in Ranji Trophy 2025
The Assam vs Services match saw a total saga of dominance by the bowlers, as only 359 runs were scored in the game, which was played in only 90 overs and within four sessions of the game. The match was completed before lunch on the second day, with Services winning by 8 wickets.
This was the second match in Tinsukia District Sports Association Ground in the 21st century, and started with 25 wickets. The 540-ball contest overtook the previous record set by the Delhi vs Railways match in 1961–62, where the match was completed with a perfect result in just 547 balls and only 221 runs were scored in the match.
However, the shortest game in terms of time is still the Ranji Trophy inaugural contest between Madras and Mysore in November 1934, when the game was over on the first day with 100.5 overs bowled between the two teams.
Opening day drama ends with 25 wickets on first day alone
This was the first instance in the history of Ranji Trophy when two bowlers took hat-tricks in the same innings of a match. Earlier, only Joginder Singh Rao, who played five matches for the Services, had recorded two hat-tricks in an innings of the match.
Till date, he remains the only bowler to take multiple hat-tricks in a single innings in first-class cricket. Arjun Sharma was the best bowler for Services in the match with 9 wickets, while Riyan Parag took 7 wickets and performed best for Assam.
With a total of 100+ in the first innings, Assam were all out for just 75 runs in their second innings and Services chased down the target with 8 wickets remaining.
Arjun Sharma and Mohit Jangra made the record of double hat-trick in the same innings.
The play may have been one-sided, with the bowlers trying their best to give their teams the advantage. Services spinner Arjun Sharma started the proceedings by making Rajasthan Royals batsman Riyan Parag his first victim.
He further rejected Wicketkeepers Sumit Ghadigaonkar and Sibsankar Roy registered the first Ranji Trophy hat-tricks of the season. Arjun’s teammate and left-arm fast bowler Mohit Jangra also achieved the second hat-trick of the innings.
He dismissed batsmen like opener Pradyun Saikia, who fought single-handedly with his quick-fire 52, and was followed by Assam No. 9 Mukhtar Hossain and No. 10 Bhargab Lakhar as Jangra claimed his maiden first-class hat-trick.
Also Read: Abhishek Nair to replace Chandrakant Pandit as KKR head coach ahead of IPL 2026
