Sarfaraz Khan is 139 not out in Bilaspur, and Mumbai lead Himachal Pradesh by 258 with six wickets left
Three days after missing India’s Test squad for New Zealand, Sarfaraz finished the second day of the Ranji Trophy unbeaten on 139, while Services need 197 more to beat a Bengal side without Mohammed Shami.
Oct 20, 2026
Sarfaraz Khan walked out at 154 for 3 on the second day in Bilaspur and was still there at stumps. He finished on 139 not out from 213 balls, Mumbai closed on 398 for 4 against Himachal Pradesh, and their lead is already 258 with two days to play.
It came three days after the selectors named India’s Test squad for New Zealand. Sarfaraz was not in it.
Himachal were done inside 40 overs
Mumbai won the toss at the Luhnu Cricket Ground on Sunday and bowled, and Himachal were all out for 140 in 39.5 overs. Tushar Deshpande took 4 for 46. The innings turned in the space of seven balls: Himachal were 88 for 3 in the 22nd over and then 88 for 6, with Vaibhav Kalta, captain Pukhraj Mann and debutant Nitin Sharma all gone. Akash Vasisht’s 39 was the top score.
Mumbai were 107 for 2 at the close of the first day and lost two more on Monday. Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz’s younger brother, made 57 and captain Siddhesh Lad 87, and Mumbai were 222 for 4 when Lad went.
176 and counting
That was the last wicket Himachal took. Sarfaraz and the keeper Akash Anand added 176 unbroken for the fifth wicket. Sarfaraz reached his hundred in the afternoon session and hit 18 fours, but not a single six. Anand’s 58 not out took 152 balls, which tells you who was doing the scoring.
Mumbai beat Chandigarh by an innings and 155 runs at the Wankhede in their first game. Haryana, who top Group D after beating Chandigarh by an innings inside two days on Monday, are their next visitors, at home in Mumbai on 26 October.
Bengal miss Shami as Services chase 209
The closest game of the round could be in Delhi. Bengal, playing without Mohammed Shami, were bowled out for 184 and then 146 by Services at the Palam ground, with Pulkit Narang taking five in the first innings and Rahul Singh 5 for 39 in the second. Shahbaz Ahmed and Aamir Gani took four each to bowl Services out for 122 in between, but that still leaves Services needing 209. They are 12 for 0, so 197 more with all ten wickets standing.
Jammu and Kashmir are in deeper trouble in Srinagar. Vidarbha were 74 for 5 in reply to 260 before Ravikumar Samarth’s 143 and an unbeaten 64 from Rajneesh Gurbani, who put on 136 for the eighth wicket. Vidarbha made 305, and J&K closed on 7 for 4 in their second innings, still 38 behind.
In Delhi, Ayush Badoni went on from his overnight 115 to 217 off 246 balls, and Delhi declared on 648 for 6. Gujarat are 98 for 2 and 550 behind.