Karnataka make merry of HP

Karnataka’s wretched luck with the rain appeared to deny them another win against a lowly side -- this time Himachal Pradesh -- before elements relented to help hosts script only their second win of their Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign.

Persistent drizzle in the morning ensured that the match began two hours behind the schedule with the affair being curtailed to 38 overs a side. Looking at the inclement weather, it didn’t come as a surprise that Himachal Pradesh chose to bowl first after winning the toss here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.

With R Samarth (98, 97b, 11x4) giving a solid start and Aniruddha Joshi (42, 31b, 6x4) providing the much-needed flourish in the slog overs, Karnataka posted more than a competitive 257 for eight in 38 overs. In between, skipper Manish Pandey too played a handy innings of run-a-ball 43 (4x4, 1x6). In reply, Himachal were bowled out for 162 in 25.3 overs as Karnataka won the match by 35 runs via VJD method.

Himachal got off to a brisk start by adding 58 runs in just eight overs before twin blows in the shape of opener Ankush Bains and one-drop Amit Kumar (0) pegged their chase back. A 44-minute rain-interruption in the 20th over of their innings forced the match officials to revise the target to 198 from 28 overs. At the time of stoppage, Himachal were 122 for three in 19.2 overs. Had the match not resumed, it would have been another washout for Karnataka who already had seen two of their matches being abandoned due to rain. Fortunately for the hosts, the skies cleared, the sun shone bright and the bowlers made hay.

With the target being 76 off 52 balls when the chase resumed, Himachal batsmen needed to show some urgency but not recklessness. Batsman after batsman threw caution to the wind and holed out in the deep with stunning regularity. The three Karnataka spinners were the beneficiaries of tourists’ largesse with off-spinner K Gowtham claiming 4/26 and Shreyas Gopal and Aniruddha Joshi picking one each.

It was, however, Pradeep T who kept Karnataka in the game with three strikes at the top. Not only did he separate the burgeoning opening stand but the paceman also removed one-drop Amit and the dangerous Prashant Chopra (67, 45b, 11x4, 2x6) to prevent Himachal from building any momentum.

Karnataka, who are already out of contention for a knockout berth, now have 12 points. They play their final Group A match against Punjab on Monday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

SCORE BOARD

KARNATAKA: R Samarth c & b Dhawan 98 (97b, 11x4), Abhishek Reddy c Bains b Jaswal 29 (28b, 5x4), Kaunain Abbas (run out) 6 (5b, 1x4), Manish Pandey c Sen b Chopra 43 (43b, 4x4, 1x6), Gowtham K c Gangta b Chopra 3 (9b), Aniruddha Joshi c Jaswal b Dhawan 42 (31b, 6x4), R Vinay Kumar c Dagar b Ajrudeen 2 (5b), BR Sharath c Dagar b Dhawan 6 (2b, 1x6), Shreyas Gopal (not out) 13 (9b, 1x6), Pradeep T (not out) 1 (1b). Extras (NB-2, W-11, LB-1) 14. Total (for 8 wkts, 38 overs) 257.

Fall of wickets: 1-36 (Abhishek), 2-55 (Abbas), 3-158 (Pandey), 4-165 (Gowtham), 5-207 (Samarth), 6-211 (Vinay), 7-219 (Sharath), 8-247 (Aniruddha).

Bowling: Mohd Ajrudeen 6-0-42-1, Pankaj Jaiswal 7-0-55-1, Rishi Dhawan 8-0-57-3, Mayank Dagar 7-0-47-0, Gurvinder Singh 6-0-35-0, Prashant Chopra 4-0-20-2.

HIMACHAL PRADESH: Ankush Bains b Pradeep 26 (25b, 4x4), Prashant Chopra c Sharath b Pradeep 67 (45b, 11x4, 2x6), Amit Kumar c Abbas b Pradeep 0 (5b), Nikhil Gangta c Sharath b Gowtham 25 (33b, 4x4), Sumeet Verma c Shreyas b Pradeep 14 (15b, 2x4), Pankaj Jaswal c Prasidh b Gowtham 0 (2b), Rishi Dhawan b Shreyas 2 (4b), Ekant Sen c Abbas b Gowtham 2 (6b), Mayank Dagar c Pandey b Joshi 15 (7b, 2x6), Gurvinder Singh b Gowtham 6 (9b, 1x4), Mohd Ajrudeen (not out) 0 (2b). Extras (W-3, B-1, LB-1) 5. Total (all out, 25.3 overs) 162.

Fall of wickets: 1-58 (Bains), 2-69 (Amit), 3-106 (Chopra), 4-128 (Verma), 5-133 (Jaswal), 6-134 (Gangta), 7-138 (Dhawan), 8-138 (Sen), 9-146 (Gurvinder).

Bowling: R Vinay Kumar 3-0-18-0 Prasidh Krishna 5-0-40-0, Pradeep T 6-0-35-4, Gowtham K 5-0-26-4, Shreyas Gopal 6-0-33-1, Joshi 0.3-0-8-1.