Bihar sealed a dominant return to the Ranji Trophy Elite Group with a crushing 568-run victory over Manipur in the Plate final, powered by a monumental second-innings double century from opener Piyush Singh and a ruthless bowling display on the final day.
Bihar's emphatic triumph capped a one-sided contest and underlined the team's steady resurgence after a turbulent journey through domestic cricket. Having briefly featured in the Elite Group in the 2022-23 season before slipping back into the Plate Group, Bihar now reclaim their place among the top-tier sides and appear firmly on a rebuilding path under captain Sakibul Gani.
The match turned decisively in Bihar's favour after they set Manipur a near-impossible target of 764. The declaration came
early on the final morning, with Bihar calling their second innings at 505 for 6 after just nine balls were bowled. Raghuvendra Pratap Singh, stranded on 90 overnight, was dismissed without adding to his score, prompting Gani to give his bowlers maximum time to finish the job.
Piyush Singh was the standout performer of the final, following up Bihar's strong first-innings effort with an unbeaten 216 off 322 deliveries in the second innings. His marathon knock came after centuries from Gani (108) and Bipin Saurabh (143) in the first innings, as Bihar piled up 522 before dismissing Manipur for 264.
Manipur's second innings never recovered from a dramatic collapse. Reduced to 50 for 5 inside the first 14 overs and then 70 for 7, they were staring at an inevitable defeat. Teenager Pheiroijam Jotin offered brief resistance with a gritty 74 off 102 balls and added 83 runs for the eighth wicket alongside L. Kishan Singha (30), momentarily delaying Bihar's celebrations.
Once pacer Akash Raj broke the stand by removing Kishan Singha, the end came swiftly. Jotin's dismissal a few overs later extinguished the last flicker of hope, as Manipur were bowled out for 195 in 56.1 overs.
Spinners Suraj Kashyap (3/32) and Himanshu Singh (3/49) led the final-day charge, sharing six wickets between them to complete one of Bihar's most commanding wins in recent Ranji history.
The Plate final success adds to a productive season for Bihar, who had earlier earned promotion to the Elite League in the Vijay Hazare Trophy as well, also at Manipur's expense. With young talents emerging and senior players delivering when it matters, Bihar's return to the Ranji Elite Group carries the promise of a more settled future.
Brief scores:
Bihar 522 and 505/6 decl (Piyush Singh 216, Raghuvendra Pratap Singh 90).
Manipur 264 and 195 (Pheiroijam Jotin 74; Suraj Kashyap 3/32, Himanshu Singh 3/49).
