Ranji Trophy: Rinku Singh, Nitish Rana shine as Uttar Pradesh gain control over Punjab in Group C match

Mullanpur: Rinku Singh and Nitish Rana powered Uttar Pradesh to a commanding position against Punjab with entertaining fifties on day three of their Ranji Trophy Group C match in Mullanpur on Monday. After opener Madhav Kaushik's career-best 163, the visitors came up with four more half-centuries to declare their first innings for a massive 556/9, taking a lead of 346 runs.

At stumps, Punjab were struggling at 49/1, trailing by 297 runs.

Rana struck an aggressive 66 off 106 balls, hitting 11 fours, while Rinku made 68 off 131 balls, with eight fours and a six.

Saurabh Kumar joined the onslaught with a brisk 67-ball 69, smashing three sixes and five fours, while Shivam Sharma contributed an unbeaten 50 off 58 balls, including four sixes and two fours, to further frustrate the Punjab attack.

Harshal, Yuzi lift Haryana past MP

In Indore, Harshal Patel's unbeaten 72 at No. 9 and Yuzvendra Chahal's gritty 27 off 142 balls helped Haryana secure a vital first-innings lead over Madhya Pradesh. Responding to MP's 308, Haryana ended the day at 431/9, with Patel still at the crease alongside last man Aman Kumar (4).

Opener Lakshay Dalal hit his maiden century (105 off 271 balls), while Dheeru Singh fell just short of three figures with a well-crafted 94. Himanshu Rana (90) also missed his hundred in the nineties, but Dalal and Dheeru's 143-run partnership for the fourth wicket laid a solid foundation.

For MP, left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya was the standout bowler, finishing with 4/117. Agencies

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