3 months ago
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A archetypal Ranji Trophy last since its title-winning exploits successful 2014-15 beckons Karnataka arsenic it takes connected Uttarakhand successful the semifinals of the 2025-26 variation astatine the Ekana Cricket Stadium from Sunday.
Coming arsenic it does connected the backmost of 2 splendid victories implicit Punjab (five wickets) and Mumbai (four wickets), Karnataka should fancy its chances. The Devdutt Padikkal-led squad has besides attained full-strength, with speedster V. Vyshak having recovered from his hamstring injury.
The quarterfinal triumph implicit heavyweight Mumbai volition successful peculiar boost the outfit, for the palmy 325-run pursuit was Karnataka’s second-highest fourth-innings full successful history.
It was fashioned by a good period from K.L. Rahul (130, 182b, 14x4, 1x6) and a solid, unbeaten 83 (123b, 11x4) from southpaw R. Smaran. For the latter, the innings signalled a timely instrumentality to signifier aft scores of 0, 1 and 9.
However, for each the bully omens, it is simply a information that Karnataka has mislaid successful the semifinals of the premier red-ball contention 4 times successful the past decade. Coach Yere Goud, though, insisted that that baggage volition not crook into a burden.
“Definitely not looking astatine that,” Goud said connected match-eve. “We are focussing connected doing the bully things that person brought america this far. It is important to beryllium determination oregon thereabouts from shot one.”
This tendency to stay focused and crisp is due to the fact that Uttarakhand is nary pushover. Despite making its First Class debut arsenic precocious arsenic 2018-19, the upland State has finished a quarterfinalist thrice. The 2025-26 run marks its maiden last-four appearance.
Skipper Kunal Chandela’s 709 runs and left-arm spinner Mayank Mishra’s table-topping 52 wickets person been instrumental successful the ascent, with the second securing a match-haul of 8 for 72 successful the last-eight triumph implicit Jharkhand.
It remains to beryllium seen however overmuch acquisition Mayank and erstwhile Karnataka spinner J. Suchith (25 wickets and 414 runs) get from the Lucknow pitch, which Goud expects to beryllium a “good batting surface”.
If they tin assistance avenge Uttarakhand’s innings-and-281-run quarterfinal decision to Karnataka successful 2022-23 – the lone erstwhile gathering betwixt the sides – it volition beryllium a communicative for the ages.
