<p>Senior India batter KL Rahul anchored Karnataka's chase with his 24th hundred in first-class cricket to steer his team to four-wicket victory over 42-time champions Mumbai in the quarterfinals of the the Ranji Trophy tie at Mumbai on Monday.</p><p>Chasing a stiff target of 325, Rahul made 130 off 182 balls with the help of 14 hits to the fence and one over it to set up Karnataka's quarterfinal win at the Mumbai Cricket Association Bandra Kurla Complex ground,.</p><p>The win meant Karnataka would face Uttarakhand in the semifinal in Bengaluru next week.</p>.Ranji Trophy | Karnataka in chase mode after Mumbai stretch lead to 324.<p>Rahul, who is a prominent member of the Indian Test and ODI squads, found an able ally in Ravichandran Smaran, as the duo stitched together a match-winning partnership of 147 runs for the fourth wicket on the game's penultimate day.</p><p>Smaran remained not out on a composed 83 off 123 ball, and struck 11 fours.</p><p>Thanks to Rahul's knock, Karnataka, the eight-time winners of India's premier domestic red-ball tournament, were cruising at 265 or three when the lunch break was taken.</p><p>However, his magnificent knock came to an end soon after lunch as he was dismissed by Tushar Deshpande. Karnataka was still some distance from the target of 325 at that stage.</p><p>The big breakthrough gave Mumbai a glimmer of hope as their bowlers -- Deshande and Tanush Kotian -- dismissed two more to leave Karnataka at 285 for six and a good 40 runs from the target.</p><p>However, the 22-year-old Smaran, who has already amassed over 1000 runs in first-class cricket at an incredible average of 69.94, showed great character under pressure and stayed on till Vidyadhar Patil hit the winning run for Karnataka, the second most successful team in the tournament after Mumbai.</p><p>Jammu and Kashmir has also reached the semifinals where they will take on the Bengal.</p><p>(with inputs from agencies)</p>
<p>Senior India batter KL Rahul anchored Karnataka's chase with his 24th hundred in first-class cricket to steer his team to four-wicket victory over 42-time champions Mumbai in the quarterfinals of the the Ranji Trophy tie at Mumbai on Monday.</p><p>Chasing a stiff target of 325, Rahul made 130 off 182 balls with the help of 14 hits to the fence and one over it to set up Karnataka's quarterfinal win at the Mumbai Cricket Association Bandra Kurla Complex ground,.</p><p>The win meant Karnataka would face Uttarakhand in the semifinal in Bengaluru next week.</p>.Ranji Trophy | Karnataka in chase mode after Mumbai stretch lead to 324.<p>Rahul, who is a prominent member of the Indian Test and ODI squads, found an able ally in Ravichandran Smaran, as the duo stitched together a match-winning partnership of 147 runs for the fourth wicket on the game's penultimate day.</p><p>Smaran remained not out on a composed 83 off 123 ball, and struck 11 fours.</p><p>Thanks to Rahul's knock, Karnataka, the eight-time winners of India's premier domestic red-ball tournament, were cruising at 265 or three when the lunch break was taken.</p><p>However, his magnificent knock came to an end soon after lunch as he was dismissed by Tushar Deshpande. Karnataka was still some distance from the target of 325 at that stage.</p><p>The big breakthrough gave Mumbai a glimmer of hope as their bowlers -- Deshande and Tanush Kotian -- dismissed two more to leave Karnataka at 285 for six and a good 40 runs from the target.</p><p>However, the 22-year-old Smaran, who has already amassed over 1000 runs in first-class cricket at an incredible average of 69.94, showed great character under pressure and stayed on till Vidyadhar Patil hit the winning run for Karnataka, the second most successful team in the tournament after Mumbai.</p><p>Jammu and Kashmir has also reached the semifinals where they will take on the Bengal.</p><p>(with inputs from agencies)</p>
