Riyan Parag stars in record-breaking Ranji Trophy thriller at Tinsukia
A historic Ranji Trophy game rewrote the record books by concluding in just 90 overs. The match featured a double hat-trick and career-best performance from Riyan Parag, making it one of the most remarkable and shortest first-class games in the 63-year history of Ranji.
The Ranji Trophy match between Assam and Services, held at the Tinsukia District Sports Association Ground in Kachujan, has etched its name in history as the shortest match ever in India’s prestigious red-ball tournament. With just 90 overs remaining, Services defeated Assam by eight wickets to secure their second successive victory of the 2025/26 season; had earlier defeated Tripura by an innings and 20 runs in Delhi. just a week ago.
In their first innings, Assam struggled, losing by just 103 runs in 17.2 overs thanks to remarkable performances from Arjun Sharma (5-46) and Mohit Jangra (3-5), both of whom took hat-tricks; a first in first-class cricket where two bowlers achieved this feat in the same innings. However, the home team recovered under the leadership of Riyan Parag as Services could only take a five-run lead after dismissing Assam for 108 runs in 29.2 overs. Parag took his second career five-wicket haul and recorded his best bowling figures of 5 for 25, with solid support from Rahul Singh, who took four wickets.
The match continued to be a low-scoring affair; Assam collapsed for just 75 runs in 29.3 overs in the second innings, including four players being walked out for ducks. Only three batsmen managed to score in double figures.
Chasing a modest target of 71 runs, Services completed the task in just 13.5 overs and lost two wickets, both claimed by Parag.
The entire competition consisted of just 90 overs or 540 balls; 25 wickets fell on the first day and the remaining seven wickets on the second morning. This match broke the record for the shortest game in Ranji Trophy history based on balls bowled, surpassing the previous record of 547 balls in a match between Delhi and Railways in 1962, which was also concluded in two days and which Delhi won by an innings and 53 runs.
The record for the shortest first-class match in history belongs to the encounter between Faisalabad and Karachi Blues during the 2004-05 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, which ended in just 85 balls after Karachi Blues lost their first innings.
By contrast, the shortest completed first-class match occurred in 1851 and lasted 352 balls between Tasmania and Victoria.
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