IS Bindra Stadium: Karnataka, Jharkhand, Andhra, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir sealed their places in the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals after getting favourable results on the last day of their seventh round league matches.
At the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, Karnataka captain Devdutt Padikkal smashed an unbeaten 120 off 85 balls to steer his side to a stunning chase of 250 in just 27.5 overs against Punjab and clinch the last quarter-final spot.
The left-hander, elevated to captaincy after Karnataka suffered a heavy defeat to Madhya Pradesh in the last game, aced the chase with a commanding knock and was supported by Mayank Agarwal’s brisk 53 off 36 balls.
Saurashtra, who had beaten Chandigarh by an innings and 56 runs, looked set to hold the last quarter-final berth from Elite Group B after Madhya Pradesh sealed their spot. But their hopes hinged on Karnataka failing to win in Mohali. Padikkal’s emphatic knock ensured otherwise happened.
Karnataka’s bowlers had earlier restricted Punjab to 256 in the second innings, but the effort took 101 overs, leaving time a factor. Padikkal responded with urgency, racing to his first fifty in 42 balls and his second in just 32 deliveries, before sealing victory by hitting the winning runs.
In terms of Elite Group A, Jharkhand, Andhra and Vidarbha were locked on 31 points at the top of Group A. But bonus point wins separated them, Jharkhand advancing with three, Andhra with two, while defending champions Vidarbha bowed out with only one against their name.
Though Vidarbha beat Uttar Pradesh in Nagpur, they will miss the knockouts by a whisker and that means a new Ranji Trophy champion will be crowned this season. Vidarbha will be ruing the loss they had at the hands of Andhra, which ultimately proved to cause their downfall.
In terms of Elite Group C, after Bengal beat Haryana to become table-toppers and enter the knockouts in Rohtak, Uttarakhand followed them into the quarter-finals after beating Assam by an innings and 42 runs.
Mayank Mishra picked up 6-86 as Uttarakhand bowled out Assam for 278 after forcing them to follow-on. Captain Kunal Chandela's double-century in the first innings handed Uttarakhand the initiative early and they never let go of it in a dominating clash in Dehradun.
In Elite Group D, with Mumbai forced to draw against Delhi, thanks to visitors skipper Ayush Doseja making an unbeaten 159, Jammu and Kashmir marked their progression into the knockouts as the second best side.
J&K had taken a massive lead of 603 runs in the first innings against Himachal Pradesh, who were bowled out for 168 in the first innings and were in trouble at 26/2 in their second essay. But due to overnight rain, no play was possible on day four at the Amtar cricket ground in Nadaun.
Ranji Trophy quarter-finals schedule – to be held from February 6-10
Quarterfinal 1 – Jharkhand versus Uttarakhand
Quarterfinal 2 – Madhya Pradesh versus Jammu & Kashmir
Quarterfinal 4 – Mumbai versus Karnataka