Madhya Pradesh’s Kulwant Khejroliya exhibited a stellar performance in the Ranji Trophy encounter against Baroda, held at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. In the first innings, Madhya Pradesh amassed a commanding total of 454 runs, setting the tone for the match.
Baroda struggled in their reply, managing only 132 runs. Facing a substantial deficit, Baroda were put under pressure by Madhya Pradesh’s skipper Shubham Sharma, who enforced the follow-on. Despite a resilient effort from opener Jyotsnil Singh, who scored 83 runs, and a century from Shashwat Rawat, Baroda still found themselves trailing.
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However, it was Kulwant Khejroliya’s exceptional bowling that proved decisive in Madhya Pradesh’s dominant victory. Although he had only claimed two wickets in the first innings, Khejroliya’s performance peaked in the second innings.
4⃣ in 4⃣! 🔥
Kulwant Khejroliya scalped 4 wickets in 4 balls en route to his five-wicket haul to help Madhya Pradesh beat Baroda in Indore.
Relive the four wickets 🔽@IDFCFIRSTBank | #RanjiTrophy
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/6bvps90cWn pic.twitter.com/gk0QQFRjUe
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) February 12, 2024
In the 95th over, Kulwant Khejroliya showcased his bowling prowess by taking wickets on four consecutive deliveries. His remarkable feat included dismissing Rawat, getting Mahesh Pithiya caught, trapping Bhargav Bhatt leg-before, and bowling Akash Singh. To cap off his outstanding performance, he also removed Atit Sheth, ending with figures of 5-34.
Kulwant Khejroliya’s remarkable achievement made him only the fourth Indian cricketer to claim four wickets in four consecutive balls in first-class cricket, joining the ranks of Sadanand Mohol, Shankar Saini, and Mohammad Mudhashir.
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As Baroda’s batting order crumbled, their remaining batsmen failed to withstand the pressure. Ultimately, they were bundled out for 270 runs, suffering an innings defeat against Madhya Pradesh. Khejroliya emerged as the top wicket-taker for Madhya Pradesh, supported by Kumar Kartikeya and Anubhav Agarwal, who contributed with three and two wickets, respectively.
