A remarkable chapter was written in the Ranji Trophy as Services defeated Assam in a match that lasted just 90 overs, the shortest completed game in the tournament’s 91-year history. The contest at the Tinsukia District Sports Association Ground ended within four sessions, producing a result after only 540 balls.
This incredible feat surpassed the previous record of 547 balls bowled in Delhi vs Railways match during the 1961–62 season.
Services triumphed by eight wickets, but it was the sheer drama that stunned everyone — 25 wickets fell on Day 1, two bowlers claimed hat-tricks in the same innings, and cricketer Riyan Parag delivered a career-best show with the ball.
For the hosts, it was a disappointing return to a venue that hadn’t staged a Ranji game since 2001, while Services celebrated not just victory but history.
Two Services bowlers, Arjun Sharma and Mohit Jangra, claimed hat-tricks in the same innings. Batting first, Assam were bundled out for just 103 in 17.2 overs, with Arjun Sharma (5/46) and Mohit Jangra (3/5) pulling off a rare double hat-trick feat. Arjun’s left-arm spin and Jangra’s sharp seam bowling tore through Assam’s lineup, leaving them stunned and unable to recover.
Their synchronized brilliance was complemented by Amit Shukla’s miserly spell of 3 for 6, which ensured Assam folded for just 75 in their second innings. The remarkable bowling display left Services needing only 71 runs, a target they comfortably chased down in under 14 overs.
The match ended before lunch on Day 2, breaking the 63-year-old record of a 547-ball finish set in 1962 between Delhi and Railways.
Hosting its first Ranji Trophy match in over two decades, the Tinsukia venue turned into an unexpected stage for one of Indian domestic cricket’s most dramatic encounters. The match’s brief duration and historic outcome transformed the usually quiet northeastern ground into the centre of national attention.
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For Services, the victory solidified their position as early-season frontrunners, taking their tally to 13 points from two matches. Assam, on the other hand, find themselves in early trouble in Group C following successive batting failures.
