Saurashtra, Punjab in clash of equals

Having beaten Saurashtra in the league stage, Punjab would be aiming for an encore when the two sides square off in the Ranji Trophy semifinals from Wednesday at the SCA stadium, Khandheri.

Punjab captain Harbhajan Singh said he was hoping the team would continue to play good cricket.

“We have done well and therefore we are in the semifinal and I am hoping that the team will once again play good cricket against Saurashtra,” Harbhajan said.

In the league match, Punjab had defeated Saurashtra but Harbhajan said he would not be taking the hosts lightly.

“We had done well in the previous match but Saurashtra too is a good side having reached the semifinal,” he said.

Punjab batting would revolve around Jiwanjot Singh, Mandeep Singh and Taruvar Kohli while Harbhajan Singh, Sandip Sharma, Manpreet Singh and Bipul Sharma would spearhead the bowling attack.

While Saurashtra will have the advantage of playing at home, they will miss the services of Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara as the are two on national duty.

Saurashtra will miss Jadeja and Pujara who had done well in the league matches but players like Arpit Vasavada, Sheldon Jackson and Kamlesh Makwana are in good form.

Vasavada and Jackson along with Sagar Jogiyani and seasoned Sithanshu Kotak would shoulder the batting responsibility, while pacers Siddharth Trivedi and Jaydev Unadkat would be spearheading the bowling department.