The ongoing Ranji Trophy has unfolded a plethora of dramatic moments across the country, as players from various departments showcased inspiring performances. Amidst the varied outcomes of matches, the clash between Karnataka and Gujarat at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad stood out.
Despite a strong start and dominance in the initial three days, the Mayank Agarwal-led Karnataka side crumbled in pursuit of 110 runs, ultimately losing the match by six runs. Karnataka appeared poised at 50/0, with Devdutt Padikkal and skipper Agarwal establishing a steady opening partnership.
However, the situation took a turn for the worse for Karnataka after the opening stand was disrupted by Siddharth Desai. Shubhang Hegde and Padikkal showed resilience with scores of 27 and 31, respectively, but the rest of the batting order faltered, resulting in Karnataka being bowled out for 103 runs in 26.2 overs.
This unexpected collapse paved the way for a remarkable comeback by Gujarat, securing an outright victory that seemed improbable earlier in the day. In the first innings, Karnataka had managed to recover from a precarious situation (45/4) to post a total of 374 runs, thanks to Agarwal’s century and half-centuries from Pandey and Padikkal. On the other hand, Gujarat, after a challenging start in their second innings (52/4), staged a recovery to score 219 runs.
Despite struggles at 145/7, the lower order propelled Gujarat’s innings, extending the lead beyond 100 runs. Although the target appeared achievable for Karnataka, the unforeseen brilliance of Siddharth Desai’s left-arm spin turned the tide, dismissing the Karnataka batsmen.
Gujarat Win š
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 15, 2024
What a match. What a fightback. What a finish! š„š„
They bowl Karnataka out for 103 and successfully defend 109 in the fourth innings.@IDFCFIRSTBank | #RanjiTrophy | #GUJvKAR
Scorecard ā¶ļø https://t.co/Hguuh0FJFo pic.twitter.com/dHdn6CqS40
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— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 15, 2024
7āļø performance! š„
Siddharth Desai's splendid seven-wicket haul helped Gujarat pull off a spectacular win over Karnataka. šš
Relive this special spell of 7/42 š½@IDFCFIRSTBank | #RanjiTrophy | #GUJvKAR pic.twitter.com/PYnbOh0CVZ
Gujarat’s victory marked a historic achievement, setting a record for winning a Ranji Trophy game with the narrowest marginādefeating Karnataka by six runs. This feat surpassed the previous record held by Jammu and Kashmir, who had defeated Andhra by 17 runs in 2013.