The Karnataka cricket team, led by Devdutt Padikkal, has secured a spot in the Ranji Trophy final for the first time since the 2014-15 season. They earned this opportunity by taking a first-innings lead against Uttarakhand in the semifinal at Ekana Stadium. Karnataka, eight-time champions, will face Jammu and Kashmir in the title clash.
The final match venue is yet to be officially announced by the BCCI, but sources indicate that Hubli is likely to host the showdown. The KSCA Rajnagar Stadium in Hubbali is reportedly the frontrunner to host the Ranji Trophy final, as per a JKCA official.
In a remarkable performance, Karnataka scored a massive total of 736 runs in the first innings, with captain Padikkal contributing a double century of 232 runs. Opener KL Rahul and Smaran Ravichandran also made significant contributions with scores of 141 and 135 runs, respectively.
Karnataka’s bowlers dominated Uttarakhand, restricting them to 233 runs in their first innings. This strong performance gave Karnataka a substantial 503-run lead, which played a crucial role in their qualification for the final. Bowlers Vidyadhar Patil and Vijaykumar Vyashak led the charge with three wickets each.
Adding 323 more runs to their lead in the second innings, Karnataka set a challenging target of 827 for Uttarakhand. Despite a valiant effort, Uttarakhand managed to reach 260/6 in 62 overs before the match ended in a draw. Gopal took three wickets in the second innings for Karnataka.
