The team was in trouble after losing 4 wickets for 58, then this player changed the game with 'baseball' in the Ranji Trophy.
The Ranji Trophy has started in Indian domestic cricket. Currently, the second round of group-stage matches has started on 18 October. Abdul Samad displayed brilliant batting in the match between Jammu and Kashmir and Odisha. Samad, famous for his fast-paced play, scored 127 runs in just 117 balls. He scored a century when his team Jammu and Kashmir was struggling after losing 4 wickets for just 58 runs. This is the 5th century of his first-class career.
Saved the team's honor
The match between Jammu and Kashmir and Odisha in the Elite Group A of the Ranji Trophy started on 18 October at Barabaati Stadium. Jammu and Kashmir captain Paras Dogra won the toss and decided to bat first. But this decision proved costly for his team. The team lost two wickets at the score of 14 runs. After this, Abdul Samad, famous for hitting sixes in this tournament, came to bat.
Samad had just taken charge of the team when two wickets fell back to back at the score of 52 and 58. Then Samad started the 'badgeball' game in Ranji. He started scoring runs quickly. With the help of 9 sixes and 6 fours, Samad scored 127 runs in 117 balls at a strike rate of 108. With the help of his innings, Jammu and Kashmir scored 270 runs in the first innings. In this way, Samad saved the honor of his team which was struggling for 54 runs.
Journey from 20 lakhs to 4 crores
Abdul Samad is known for playing fast innings and hitting big shots in domestic cricket. Seeing his talent, Sunrisers Hyderabad included him in the team at a price of 20 lakhs. In the debut season, he batted at a strike rate of 170. In 2022, his salary was increased to 4 crores. However, he did not get a chance to play much. In 2024, the Hyderabad team played him in all the matches. During this, his strike rate was 168. Samad hit 15 fours and 11 sixes last season. Now before the IPL mega auction, Samad has again hit a stormy century.
Such is the domestic career.
Abdul Samad has scored 1640 runs in 24 first-class matches of domestic cricket at an average of 38. He has scored 538 runs in 23 List A matches at an average of 23 and 1339 runs in 83 T20 matches at an average of 26. His strike rate in T20 has been 146.