Kerala 457 lead Gujarat 455 (Panchal 148, Jaymeet 79, Sarwate 4-111, Saxena 4-139) by 2 runs
Having played down the wrong line as he lunged forward, Jaymeet dragged his foot outside the crease as the ball passed his outside edge as Mohammed Azharuddeen effected an excellent stumping. An agonising three-minute wait and multiple replays later, Kerala celebrated as the umpire deemed Jaymeet’s foot to be on the line when the bail was knocked off its groove.
Nagwaswalla and Priyajitsinh Jadeja, the No 11, then brought the equation down to eight runs needed when Kerala had another half-chance. Nagwaswalla whipped one into the leg side with the ball lodging between Salman Nizar’s legs before slipping out as he attempted a reflex action catch.
Then, Saxena was agonising close to his fifth wicket when he deceived Nagwaswalla in flight as he lunged at one that spun back in from the rough to take the inside edge and brush past leg-stump towards the fine leg fielder. It meant Gujarat needed just two to level the scores, which would’ve been enough to see them through in case of a draw because of having more points in the group stages.
The big moment arrived for Kerala when Sarwate tossed one up. Nagwaswalla attempted a hoick as the ball flew off a thick inside edge to short leg, where it hit Nizar flush on the helmet before lobbing up to Baby who took the deflection at slip. Initially pumped by adrenaline, Nizar celebrated wildly with the rest of the Kerala team as they celebrated the prospect of making their first-ever Ranji final as a crest-fallen Nagwaswalla trudged back slowly up the long flight of stairs into the dressing room.
After the ecstasy of their achievement sunk in and players made their way off the field, Nizar was duly stretchered off for a concussion check, even as Kerala’s batters quickly regrouped to play out the remainder of the match on the final day.
Saxena wheeled away for 71 overs in the second innings for his four wickets, three of which turned the game around on its head on the fourth morning. Sarwate, who had figures of 1 for 101 coming into the day, ended with 4 for 111 as the prospect of playing against his home state, Vidarbha, at his home ground in Nagpur loomed.
