Uttarakhand vs Karnataka | Ranji Trophy, 2025/26 | 1st Semi-Final

See you in the finals! Well folks, we are setting up for an absolute blockbuster of a Ranji Trophy final in Hubballi! On one side, you have the heavyweights, Karnataka, with eight titles and tons of experience. On the other side, Jammu & Kashmir are the ultimate fearless underdogs, playing in their first-ever final with massive heart. The finals will be played on 24 February, and the action will start at 9.30 am IST (4 am GMT), but do join us early for the buildup. We will see you there. Cheers!

The stand-in skipper of Karnataka - Karun Nair congratulates the Uttarakhand side for their impressive campaign. He acknowledges that they successfully capitalized on their opportunities and are excited for the finals. Emphasizing the team's hunger and desire to win, Nair believes Karnataka has all the resources to secure the trophy. He admits to a recent dip in form despite a strong overall season, but he says that he will try to deliver a match-winning performance for his side.

The captain of Uttarakhand - Kunal Chandela says that he had a bit of a fever, but he is fine now. Adds that this journey has been amazing, and they win or lose as a team. He says that they were excellent overall, and they need to work on some areas. Ends by saying that they had a lot of learnings from this season.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Devdutt Padikkal is the Player of the Match for his brilliant knock of 232 runs in the first innings! Unfortunately, he was unavailable due to his injury, and Ravichandran Smaran collected his award. Ravichandran Smaran says that Devdutt Padikkal's hand is better now, and hopefully, he will be available for the finals. Adds that they have been playing well in this season, and they are in good momentum. He mentions that just have one more game to go. Adds that Paddikal has been a match-winner for them and he is a tremendous player.

Presentations coming up...

Mission impossible for Uttarakhand - By the end of their second innings, Karnataka set an impossible target of 827 runs for Uttarakhand to chase in the fourth innings. Because scoring over 800 runs in less than a day is out of reach for any team, the match is heavily one-sided. Facing a massive scoreboard deficit, Uttarakhand struggled early on, losing three quick top-order wickets to reach 72/3 by lunch despite Avneesh Sudha's positive intent. They further slipped to 184/6 at tea before Abhay Negi and Saurabh Rawat steadied the ship with twin half-centuries.  However, with the crucial first-innings lead already secured, Karnataka’s bowlers took their foot off the gas to avoid injuries ahead of the title clash. Both sides ultimately decided to shake hands with the scoreboard at 260/6, resulting in a draw, that officially sent Karnataka through to the Ranji Trophy finals.

Karnataka refused a follow-on! Instead of forcing Uttarakhand to bat again right away, Karnataka chose to bat a second time to give their players more practice. Kruthik Krishna opened the batting and scored a solid half-century. Smaran Ravichandran was the star once again, smashing another century with 127 runs, while KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 86. The team finished their innings at 323 for 9, with captain Padikkal sitting out due to an injury.

Uttarakhand struggled in reply - Under the pressure of a huge total, Uttarakhand’s batters struggled to build partnerships and kept losing wickets regularly. They were eventually bowled out for just 233 runs, handing Karnataka a massive 503-run lead. Lakshya Raichandani was the only standout batter for Uttarakhand, fighting hard for his 55 runs. For Karnataka, bowlers Vidyadhar Patil and Vyshak Vijaykumar led the attack perfectly, taking three wickets each to dismantle the Uttarakhand side.

Karnataka's massive start - Karnataka delivered a spectacular batting performance in the first innings, piling up a gigantic score of 736 runs. The innings was built around a huge 278-run partnership between KL Rahul, who scored a brilliant 141, and captain Devdutt Padikkal, who hit his career-best 232. Smaran Ravichandran also added a fantastic 135 runs, while Karun Nair and Kruthik Krishna scored 60 each. The team batted for almost 195 overs, making the Uttarakhand bowlers work extremely hard on a flat pitch.

Karnataka moves to finals! Karnataka have dominated the semi-final, securing their place in the final with a comprehensive victory over Uttarakhand due to their massive first innings lead. They will be eager to turn the number of eight-time champions to nine. They will face Jammu and Kashmir in the finals.