Ranji Trophy 2019-20: Karnataka storm into semifinals with 167-run win against Jammu and Kashmir

Karnataka stormed into the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy 2019-20 season with a dominating 167-run win over Jammu and Kashmir in the quarterfinal clash held between the two sides at the Gandhi Memorial Science College Ground in Jammu.

Krishnappa Gowtham's 7-wicket haul was the biggest talking point of the day as the off-spinner ran through the hosts' batting unit after they were set a tricky target of 331 runs to get within two sessions on the final day.

Earlier, KV Siddharth and Srinivas Sharath walked out to bat for the morning session with Karnataka's overnight score reading 245/4, and the duo added 30 runs before Siddharth was removed for 98, two runs short of a well-deserved century.

Karnataka's all-rounders K Gowtham and Jagadeesha Suchith perished within a space of just 12 runs before Sharath was trapped in front by Abid Mushtaq for a patient 134-ball 34, with the score reading 313/8 and a 327-run lead in favour of the visitors.

The Karnataka bowlers could not add much to the total as they were bowled out for 316, setting a tricky target of 330 to get for Jammu and Kashmir with close to 60 overs left in the day's play.

Gowtham derails run chase

Jammu and Kashmir's openers expectedly opted for an aggressive approach with nothing to lose in the game and put up a 20-run opening partnership in 3.4 overs before Prasidh Krishna struck the first blow and castled Suryansh Raina for 12.

The 10th over proved to be the real gamechanger for Karnataka as Krishnappa Gowtham struck twice, including the big wicket of the dangerous Abdul Samad. Henan Nazir and Parvez Rasool fell within the space of six balls that exposed the middle order early in the chase.

With Jammu and Kashmir reeling at 53/5, Shubham Pundir and keeper Fazil Rashid tried to reconstruct the chase and put up a 40-run stand before J Suchith sent Rashid back to the pavilion for 11.

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Next over, Gowtham returned to snaffle the crucial wicket of Abid Mushtaq and with Jammu and Kashmir in serious trouble at 98/7, the writing was almost on the wall.

Handy contributions from the last three batsmen Auqib Nabi (26), Mujtaba Yousuf (11) and Umaz Nazir (24) only delayed the inevitable as Gowtham picked up the last three wickets and finished with remarkable figures of 7/54 off 18.4 overs, helping Karnataka to register a massive 167-run win and more importantly, book a spot in the last four.