The shortest match played in the history of Ranji TrophyImage Credit source: PTI
In the second round of the group stage in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season, a match was played which could not last even for two full days. In this match played in Tinsukia, Assam, Services defeated the host team by 8 wickets. But instead of Services’ victory or Assam’s defeat, this match came into limelight because it ended in the shortest time. In this match dominated by bowlers, only 90 overs i.e. 540 balls could be played and thus it proved to be the shortest match in Ranji Trophy history.
25 wickets fell on the first day itself
This match started from Saturday 25th October in Tinsukia, in which host Assam batted first. Services bowlers wreaked such havoc that the entire team collapsed for just 103 runs. This innings of Assam lasted for 17.2 overs i.e. 104 balls. During this, two bowlers from the services side created history by taking hat-tricks. This was the first time that two bowlers had scored a hat-trick in a single innings of Ranji Trophy.
This was only the first day of the match and the action was not over yet. After Assam, Services’ innings also suffered a similar fate and it too collapsed for just 108 runs on the first day itself. Riyan Parag did this to him. Opening the bowling for Assam, Ryan took 5 wickets in 10 overs and Services’ innings collapsed in 29.2 overs i.e. 176 balls.
Although this team had got a lead of 5 runs but the first day’s play was still not over. Assam started their batting in the second innings and by the end of the day’s play again lost 5 wickets. That means 25 wickets had fallen on the first day itself. When the second day’s play started on Sunday, 26 October, Assam’s remaining 5 wickets were quickly taken away and the entire team collapsed for just 75 runs. This time Assam played 29.3 overs i.e. 177 balls.
Match ended in just 90 overs, record broken
Services got the target of only 71 runs to win and achieved it by losing 2 wickets. Both these wickets were taken by Riyan Parag and in this way he took 7 wickets in his name in the match. But still his team lost this match in less than 2 days. Services registered victory in just 13.5 overs (83 balls).
In this way, a total of 540 balls i.e. 90 overs could be played in this match in all four innings and a new record was created for the shortest match in the history of Ranji Trophy. In the Assam-Services match, the record of the match played 63 years ago was broken. Earlier in 1962, the match played between Delhi and Railways ended in just 547 balls and from then till 2025, it was the match with the fewest balls in Ranji Trophy. But now this record has been broken.