Ranji Trophy: Bihar thrash Manipur by 568 runs in Plate final, secure return to Elite Group
Bihar crushed Manipur by a massive 568 runs in the Ranji Trophy Plate final, powered by Piyush Singh’s unbeaten double century and disciplined bowling, completing a return to the Elite Group after a turbulent stretch across domestic tiers.
A statement win in India’s premier domestic red-ball competition
Bihar produced a dominant all-round performance to defeat Manipur by 568 runs in the Ranji Trophy Plate final, sealing promotion back to the Elite Group. The victory, achieved on Monday, underlined Bihar’s progress after recent fluctuations between tiers in India’s domestic cricket structure.
The match turned decisively in Bihar’s favour through a combination of big first-innings runs and sustained second-innings pressure. After posting 522 in the first innings and dismissing Manipur for 264, Bihar built an enormous lead and then doubled down with a rapid scoring phase that set a near-impossible chase.
Key performers: Piyush Singh and the bowling unit
Opener Piyush Singh was the standout, compiling an unbeaten 216 off 322 balls in the second innings. Support came earlier from century-makers, including skipper Sakibul Gani (108) and Bipin Saurabh (143) in the first innings, which helped Bihar establish match control before the final-day declaration.
With the target set at 764, Bihar’s bowlers completed the job by dismissing Manipur for 195 in the second innings. Spinners Suraj Kumar Kashyap (3/32) and Himanshu Singh (3/49) took three wickets each, ensuring the result was never in doubt. Beyond the trophy, the scale of the win provides Bihar a confidence boost ahead of tougher Elite Group opposition next season.
- Margin: Bihar won by 568 runs
- Second-innings highlight: Piyush Singh 216*
- Bowling: Suraj Kumar Kashyap and Himanshu Singh took three wickets each in the final innings
- Outcome: Bihar return to the Elite Group