NEW DELHI: Karun Nair's impressive innings of 90 runs took center stage as Vidarbha posted a substantial total of 460 all out against Karnataka in their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal in Nagpur.
Vidarbha continued their innings from the second day, starting at 261 for three after strong performances from Atharva Taide and Yash Rathod. Karun Nair's significant contribution, along with partnerships with other batsmen, allowed Vidarbha to reach a formidable first-innings total.
In response, Karnataka faced a challenging situation, finishing the day at 98 for two, with Ravikumar Samarth and Nikin Jose at the crease. The visitors trailed by 362 runs.
Vidarbha's batting display included a partnership between Nair and Aditya Sarwate, with the latter contributing 26 runs. However, Vidwath Kaverappa emerged as a significant threat, claiming four wickets, including the crucial dismissal of Nair who narrowly missed his 19th first-class century by 10 runs.
Karnataka had a shaky start to their innings, losing skipper Mayank Agarwal early. Yet, a 59-run partnership between opener Ravikumar Samarth and KV Aneesh provided some stability. However, Yash Thakur's dismissal of Aneesh added pressure to Karnataka's response.
As the match progresses, Vidarbha holds a strong position with a substantial lead. Karnataka faces an uphill task to overcome the deficit and make a comeback in the quarterfinal.
Brief scores: Vidarbha 460 (Atharva Taide 109, Yash Rathod 93, Karun Nair (90); Vidwath Kaverappa 4/99) leads Karnataka 98-2 (Ravikumar Samarth 43 batting; Yash Thakur 1/22) by 362 runs.
