One of the best days we’ve had on the field: Padikkal

In a fortnight, Karnataka’s home play could person afloat unravelled. On the backmost of a below-par Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, it mislaid successful the semifinal of the Vijay Hazare Trophy aft looking acceptable for a palmy title-defence.

Then came the 217-run reverse to Madhya Pradesh, which severely threatened its Ranji Trophy knockouts qualification. But Sunday’s Devdutt Padikkal-inspired win, which ensured a last-gasp Ranji quarterfinal berth, volition travel similar oxygen.

“It’s incredible,” the skipper told The Hindu, aft the match. “We spoke astatine the commencement of the time that we could bash thing peculiar and tin look backmost connected it arsenic 1 of the champion days we’ve had connected the cricket field. So I’m truly happy.”

Apart from the daunting 250-run people from 40 overs, the effect had seemed improbable for ample tracts. Karnataka had fto Punjab flight from 168 for six successful the archetypal effort and did not precisely bamboozle the location batters successful the second. Padikkal admitted to reasoning that Karnataka had fto the crippled drift excessively far.

“There were times erstwhile we thought it wasn’t imaginable but the boys kept believing. We kept coming backmost into the crippled whenever we felt that it was pulling away. Everyone stood up.

“It wasn’t a one-man show. It wasn’t an casual transportation to instrumentality wickets but each bowler came successful and did his job.”

“We person ever prided ourselves successful going heavy into tournaments. Hopefully we tin proceed to play this mode and triumph 3 much games,” helium added.