Karnataka ensured a constructive begin to its 2023-24 Ranji Trophy campaign by registering a seven-wicket win over Punjab on the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium right here on Monday.
The solely grouse the house aspect can have is the failure to seize the bonus level that comes with an innings victory or a 10-wicket triumph, for Karnataka first let go of a humongous 362-run first-innings lead after which couldn’t chase down the 52-run goal with all wickets intact.
Skipper Mayank Agarwal bagged a pair, Nikin Jose fell cheaply for a second straight event and first-innings centurion Devdutt Padikkal — the participant of the match — couldn’t bat as he had spent all morning off the sector owing to a abdomen bug. But R. Samarth (21, 38b, 4×4) and Sharath Srinivas (21 n.o., 47b, 1×4, 1×6) calmed the nerves and carried their staff residence.
The victory, although, was set-up by the bowlers within the morning. Speedsters V. Vyshak, V. Koushik and Vidwath Kaverappa softened Punjab’s in a single day batters Mandeep Singh and Nehal Wadhera with some incisive spells earlier than the left-arm tweakers Rohit Kumar and Shubhang Hegde struck gold.
Debutant and Hubballi lad Rohit, who had struggled on day three with his lengths, lastly landed one in the precise spot to rearrange captain Mandeep’s stumps. At the opposite finish, Wadhera confidently walked into a shot however ended up spooning a return catch to Shubhang.
Wicket-keeper Gitansh Khera (43, 81b, 6×4) and Mayank Markande (36, 67b, 6×4) mixed for a 61-run partnership for the seventh wicket, with the previous executing some tremendous sweep photographs. An overdose of the stroke, nonetheless, led to his downfall as Rohit slid one via to fortress him and be Karnataka’s breakthrough man once more.
India pacer Arshdeep Singh swung freely to smash three fours and three sixes (36, 34b, 3×4, 3×6), and compelled Karnataka to bat once more. But Mayank Agarwal had males stationed within the deep for false hits and it was not lengthy earlier than Arshdeep holed out at deep mid-wicket.
No. 11 Baltej Singh performed a cameo of his personal (22, 10b, 2×4, 2×6), however none may deny Karnataka the six factors.
The scores:
Punjab – 1st innings: 152.
Karnataka – 1st innings: 514 for eight decl.
Punjab – 2nd innings: Abhishek Sharma b Samarth 91, Prabhsimran Singh b Kaverappa 100, Naman Dhir c Rohit b Shubhang 20, Mandeep Singh b Rohit Kumar 27, Nehal Wadhera c & b Shubhang 26, Gitansh Khera b Rohit Kumar 43, Prerit Dutta lbw b Shubhang 0, Mayank Markande st. Sharath b Rohit 36, Siddharth Kaul c Sharath b Kaverappa 0, Arshdeep Singh c Mayank b Vyshak 36, Baltej Singh (not out) 22; Extras (b-1, lb-8, nb-3): 12; Total (in 114.4 overs): 413.
Fall of wickets: 1-192, 2-192, 3-220, 4-268, 5-273, 6-285, 7-346, 8-347, 9-389.
Karnataka bowling: Kaverappa 24-3-59-2, Koushik 20-6-45-0, Vyshak 21-3-93-1, Rohit 22.4-3-101-3, Shubhang 18-1-89-3, Samarth 9-3-17-1.
Karnataka – 2nd innings: R. Samarth c Prabhsimran b Dutta 21, Mayank Agarwal c Dhir b Baltej 0, Nikin Jose c Wadhera b Dutta 0, S. Sharath (not out) 21, Manish Pandey (not out) 10; Total (for 3 wkts. in 17 overs): 52.
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-9, 3-31.
Punjab bowling: Arshdeep 1-0-8-0, Baltej 4-2-12-1, Dutta 7-3-10-2, Abhishek 1-0-2-0, Dhir 4-0-20-0.
Karnataka received by seven wkts.; Points: Karnataka 6 (6), Punjab 0 (0).
