Captain Mayank Agarwal’s unbeaten 110-run knock helped the hosts post 229 for five against Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy semi-final on Wednesday (February 8). Sent in to bat, Karnataka were in some trouble, losing half their team for 112 runs in 40.3 overs. But opener Agarwal (110 not out) held one end and took the innings forward with an unbeaten 117-run partnership for the sixth wicket with wicketkeeper Srinivas Sharath (58 not out).
Karnataka scored their runs in 87 overs before the umpires called out the stumps opening day proceedings, Agarwal’s patient knock came off 246 balls, during which he hit 11 fours and a six, while Sharath faced 143 balls during his unbeaten innings and hit four fours in the process.
Right-arm medium pacer Kushang Patel picked up two wickets, while Chetan Sakaria and Prerak Mankad dismissed one Karnataka batsman each. The second wicket fell as a runout.
Karnataka did not start well as they had opener Ravikumar Samarth caught by Vishvaraj Jadeja off Patel in the sixth over. The new man in Devdutt Padikkal did not last long, caught by Sheldon Jackson off Sakaria off the opening ball of the ninth over. Agarwal and Nikin Jose (18) shared a 47-run partnership for the next wicket, before Nikin Jose (18) dismissed Harvik Desai behind the stumps in the 29th over off Patel.
A top class innings from a top class player. what century @mayankcricket , Dear Captain, You stood up when the team needed you the most. thanks for the rescue act #Ranji Trophy #KarvSAU #mayank agarwal pic.twitter.com/tZ9ObqcXCH
— Vishak G Shetty (@vishakgshetty1) February 8, 2023
Manish Pandey didn’t trouble the scorers much, scalping Mankad and later Shreyas Gopal (15) was run out as Karnataka were bundled out for 112 for 5. But Agarwal and Sharath joined hands and played smartly without taking any chances. Deprive Saurashtra of further infiltration.
Brief scores: Karnataka: 229 for 5 in 87 overs (Mayank Agarwal 110 batting, Srinivas Sharath 58 batting; Kushang Patel 2/64). (With PTI inputs)