Mohali: Punjab batsman came out all guns blazing againt a hapless Odisha attack as they scored 306 for 2 off 94 overs at close of 2nd days play at PCA Stadium here on Monday.
Punjab lost their first wicket at 43 when their profilic scorer Jiwanjot Singh was caught by Natraj off Deepak Behara for 18 with team’s total reading 43 for 1. The other opener, Ravi Inder Singh, was next to go when he was castled by Dhiraj Singh after compiling a workman like 50 off 100 balls inclusive of nine boundaries.
Thereafter Taruwar Kohli and Mandeep Singh got together to stitch an unbroken partnership off 220 runs for the third wicket. Their dominance of the Odisha attack was total and they matched each other stroke by stroke to stitch their undefeated centuries.
Mandeep Singh was the first to reach his century of 127 balls laced with 12 well struck boundaries and a huge six. This was Mandeep’s 7th century in his 20th Ranji Trophy match. Taruwar Kohli soon joined his partner as he completed his century off 229 balls with the help of 14 well struck boundaries and one six and this was Kohli’s third century in his 13th Ranji match.
The Odisha pace and spin attack was made to look pedestrian by the attractive strock play of Taruwar Kohli and Mandeep Singh. Punjab ended the 2nd day with a healthy lead of 101 runs with 8 wickets in hand.
Punjab are in a position of strength from where they force an outright win against their rivals.
Brief scores:
Odisha: 1st innings: 205 all out in 83.2 overs
Punjab: 1st innings: 306 for 2 in 94 overs (Jiwanjot Singh 18, Ravi Inder Singh 50, Taruwar Kohli 109 not out and Mandeep Singh 116 not out, Deepak Behera 1 for 45 and Dhiraj Singh 1 for 44)
