Ranji Trophy 2018-19: In Plate group, three teams eye quarterfinal slot

While Uttarakhand sits pretty on top of the table with 37 points, Bihar and Puducherry have 34 and 32 points respectively.

Rajat Bhatia has led Uttarakhand from the front.

As the group stage of the Ranji Trophy nears an end, the Plate division is set to witness some interesting competition, with three teams vying for a spot in the quarterfinals.

While just one slot is up for grabs in the knock-out stage, Uttarakhand and Bihar have high chances of qualifying. Puducheery, though, has an outside chance to qualify.

While Rajat Bhatia-led Uttarakhand sits pretty on top of the table with 37 points, Bihar and Puducherry have 34 and 32 points respectively.

While an outright victory against Mizoram will see Uttarakhand making it to the knockouts, a draw or a defeat could open doors for Bihar and Puducherry.

In Dimapur, Nagaland will take on Puducherry, which has bounced back in style, winning its last game outright and the Rohit Damodaren-led side will be hoping to make things count at the fag end.

Bihar, which has played some smart cricket, too has a chance of making it to the next stage if it defeats Manipur in Patna. But for that Uttarakhand has to either lose or settle for a draw.

While the three teams will be playing for a spot in the quarterfinals, Arunachal Pradesh will look to salvage pride in its last game of the tournament against Sikkim in Goalpara. The nine new teams have shown determination in the two-month long tournament and in the final group stage, some mouth-watering clashes are in the offing.