Ranji Trophy: Karnataka Advances to Final After Bizarre Finish Against Uttarakhand

LUCKNOW – Karnataka secured their place in the Ranji Trophy final on Thursday, playing out a draw against Uttarakhand at the Ekana Cricket Stadium to advance on the basis of a massive first-innings lead. While the result was a foregone conclusion given Karnataka’s dominance, the match ended with a peculiar sequence of events involving the match officials, leaving players and broadcasters confused.

Karnataka will now face first-time finalists Jammu and Kashmir in the title clash starting Tuesday. The final will be hosted at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium in Hubballi, marking the first time the northern Karnataka region will stage the summit clash.

Umpiring Confusion at Tea

The semifinal saw a moment of unusual drama during the final day’s tea break. With the match drifting toward an inevitable draw, captains Kunal Chandela (Uttarakhand) and Karun Nair (Karnataka) shook hands, signaling the end of the contest. Presentation parties began setting up on the field, and players retreated to the dressing rooms to prepare for departure.

However, match officials ordered play to resume minutes later. Citing the regulations, umpires noted that with Uttarakhand six wickets down in their second innings, a theoretical outright result was still possible. A clearly unhappy Karnataka side returned to the field for less than an hour. During this period, Uttarakhand batters Abhay Negi (57*) and Saurabh Rawat (53*) played out the remaining time before the match was officially called off with Uttarakhand at 260/6.

Shreyas Gopal Crosses 300 Wickets

Leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal achieved a significant career milestone during the match, becoming the latest Karnataka bowler to claim 300 first-class wickets. The landmark came in his 97th first-class appearance.

“It is a special feeling to reach the milestone in a semifinal, and it gives me a lot of confidence going into the final,” said the 32-year-old, who is Karnataka’s leading wicket-taker this season with 46 dismissals.

Padikkal Injury Update

Karnataka captain Devdutt Padikkal missed the final day’s play after sustaining a hand injury while fielding on Wednesday. The cut required five stitches, but Head Coach Yere Goud dismissed fears regarding his availability for the final.

“When I saw the cut, I was pretty sure he would make it. He probably needs two to three days’ rest and should be fine for the game,” Goud stated.

The Final Challenge: Jammu and Kashmir

Karnataka heads to Hubballi aiming for a ninth Ranji Trophy title, but they face a Jammu and Kashmir side that has upset heavyweights Madhya Pradesh and Bengal en route to their maiden final.

“We are playing the final after a long time. We’ve been working very hard for the last few years but couldn’t quite make it,” Goud said. “They [J&K] have done extremely well… They are a very dangerous side. We need to play good cricket and focus on our processes.”

Brief Scores

For official match data and tournament statistics, visit the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or view detailed scorecards on ESPNcricinfo.