<p>Bengaluru: There are red-ball games that start slow, shift gears on the final day and finish with a lot of excitement. This one was a prime example. </p>.<p>A slow-moving <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> Elite Group B fixture between Karnataka and Punjab picked up serious pace on the fourth afternoon at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali as <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/devdutt-padikkal">Devdutt Padikkal</a>'s (120 n.o., 85b, 6x4, 5x6) eighth first-class hundred saw Karnataka pull off a heist, chasing a 250-run target in just 27.3 overs to punch their quarterfinals ticket. </p>.<p>Karnataka finished second in Group B with 27 points in seven matches, picking up three wins, three draws and one loss while Madhya Pradesh topped the group with 28 points. </p>.<p>Karnataka will now face Mumbai in the fourth quarterfinal, starting on February 6. </p>.<p>It was also a brilliant way to start a new captaincy era, with thoughts of Mayank Agarwal's sacking slowly being erased after a tough defeat at the hands of MP in Alur that put their qualification in jeopardy. </p>.<p>Chasing 250 in just 40 overs, Karnataka pressed the trigger with Padikkal promoting himself to open with KL Rahul (13, 12b, 2x4). </p>.Kapil Dev backs India in T20s, stresses focus on Test cricket.<p>Karnataka suffered an early jolt as Sukhdeep Bajwa (1/81) dismissed Rahul in the third over. </p>.<p>However, it was the skipper and former skipper Agarwal (53, 36b, 6x4, 1x6) who held the fort and stitched a 76-ball 113. After Agarwal walked back, Karnataka suffered a few tense moments with Aneesh KV (1) and Smaran R (1) walking back within three balls. </p>.<p>Padikkal and Shreyas Gopal (33, 22b, 3x4, 1x6) then steadied the ship with a 67-run stand before Vidyadhar Patil (14 n.o., 10b, 1x6) saw through the chase, Karnataka reaching 252/5.</p>.<p>Earlier, resuming the day on 119/3, Punjab skipper Uday Saharan (93, 166b, 7x4, 3x6) who was on 66 overnight, missed out of a well-deserved third first-class hundred by seven runs after being knocked over by left-arm orthodox Shikhar Shetty (2/82). </p>.<p>The captain, along with Anmolpreet Singh (44, 141b, 3x4, 1x6), stitched a gritty 89-run partnership, batting for 203 deliveries and eating up Karnataka's precious time.</p>.<p>Shreyas Gopal (3/43) picked up two wickets in two overs, sending Anmolpreet and wicketkeeper-bat Anmol Malhotra (16, 26, 1x4, 1x6) in quick succession before the lunch break. With two sessions still to be played, the hosts were 210/6, leading Karnataka by 203. </p>.<p>Showcasing urgency in their body language post lunch, India international Prasidh Krishna (3/49) along with the young Vidyadhar Patil (1/32) finished off the tail, bringing the shutters down on Punjab's innings on 256 all out in 101 overs.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: There are red-ball games that start slow, shift gears on the final day and finish with a lot of excitement. This one was a prime example. </p>.<p>A slow-moving <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> Elite Group B fixture between Karnataka and Punjab picked up serious pace on the fourth afternoon at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali as <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/devdutt-padikkal">Devdutt Padikkal</a>'s (120 n.o., 85b, 6x4, 5x6) eighth first-class hundred saw Karnataka pull off a heist, chasing a 250-run target in just 27.3 overs to punch their quarterfinals ticket. </p>.<p>Karnataka finished second in Group B with 27 points in seven matches, picking up three wins, three draws and one loss while Madhya Pradesh topped the group with 28 points. </p>.<p>Karnataka will now face Mumbai in the fourth quarterfinal, starting on February 6. </p>.<p>It was also a brilliant way to start a new captaincy era, with thoughts of Mayank Agarwal's sacking slowly being erased after a tough defeat at the hands of MP in Alur that put their qualification in jeopardy. </p>.<p>Chasing 250 in just 40 overs, Karnataka pressed the trigger with Padikkal promoting himself to open with KL Rahul (13, 12b, 2x4). </p>.Kapil Dev backs India in T20s, stresses focus on Test cricket.<p>Karnataka suffered an early jolt as Sukhdeep Bajwa (1/81) dismissed Rahul in the third over. </p>.<p>However, it was the skipper and former skipper Agarwal (53, 36b, 6x4, 1x6) who held the fort and stitched a 76-ball 113. After Agarwal walked back, Karnataka suffered a few tense moments with Aneesh KV (1) and Smaran R (1) walking back within three balls. </p>.<p>Padikkal and Shreyas Gopal (33, 22b, 3x4, 1x6) then steadied the ship with a 67-run stand before Vidyadhar Patil (14 n.o., 10b, 1x6) saw through the chase, Karnataka reaching 252/5.</p>.<p>Earlier, resuming the day on 119/3, Punjab skipper Uday Saharan (93, 166b, 7x4, 3x6) who was on 66 overnight, missed out of a well-deserved third first-class hundred by seven runs after being knocked over by left-arm orthodox Shikhar Shetty (2/82). </p>.<p>The captain, along with Anmolpreet Singh (44, 141b, 3x4, 1x6), stitched a gritty 89-run partnership, batting for 203 deliveries and eating up Karnataka's precious time.</p>.<p>Shreyas Gopal (3/43) picked up two wickets in two overs, sending Anmolpreet and wicketkeeper-bat Anmol Malhotra (16, 26, 1x4, 1x6) in quick succession before the lunch break. With two sessions still to be played, the hosts were 210/6, leading Karnataka by 203. </p>.<p>Showcasing urgency in their body language post lunch, India international Prasidh Krishna (3/49) along with the young Vidyadhar Patil (1/32) finished off the tail, bringing the shutters down on Punjab's innings on 256 all out in 101 overs.</p>