ranji trophy 2025-26 An unprecedented spectacle was witnessed when Assam and Services clashed in what became the shortest completed match in the history of the tournament – finishing in just 90 overs. The two-day encounter at the Tinsukia District Sports Association Ground, Kachujan witnessed a dramatic collapse, with two hat-tricks in the same innings and 32 wickets falling in breathtaking succession.
Historic collapse, Services win by eight wickets
Services secured an impressive eight-wicket win after demolishing Assam twice in two days. Assam’s batting lineup faced a nightmare in their first innings and were all out for just 103 runs in 17.2 overs. The destruction was led by Arjun Sharma (5/46) and Mohit Jangra (3/5), both of whom achieved hat-tricks in the same innings – a feat never seen before in Ranji Trophy or first-class cricket history.
Assam’s opener Pradyun Saikia counter-attacked and scored an inning of 52 runs in 42 balls. Riyan Parag A quick 36 runs were added, but the rest of the batting line-up turned out to be slow. Services responded by scoring a modest 108 as Riyan Parag took a career-best 5/25, complemented by Rahul Singh’s 4/44, as Assam marginally remained in the contest.
Assam’s batting crisis continues in the second innings also
There was no respite in Assam’s second innings and they were all out again for 75 runs in 29.3 overs. Their batting unit collapsed under the constant pressure, with four players reaching ducks and only three reaching double figures. Arjun Sharma continued his dream match, claiming 4/20, while the rest of the Services attack maintained tight discipline.
Chasing just 71 to win on the second morning, Services took the match at 72/2 in 13.5 overs, with Riyan Parag taking both wickets. The one-sided result ended a record-breaking, stormy contest that defied traditional first-class expectations.
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A record breaking match in Indian cricket history
The Tinsukia match officially became the shortest completed match in Ranji Trophy history, surpassing the previous record of 547 balls set in the 1962 match between Delhi and Railways. The game’s 540-ball duration also places it among the shortest matches in global first-class cricket, behind only the 2004–05 Faizabad vs Karachi Blues clash (85 balls after forfeit) and the 1851 Tasmania vs Victoria match (352 balls).
The extraordinary contest also broke the 91-year-old Ranji milestone, surpassing the 1934 Madras vs Mysore encounter which lasted 100.5 overs. With 25 wickets falling on the first day and seven wickets remaining on the second morning, the pace of the game took the players, umpires and fans by surprise.
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