UP send Karnataka out of Ranji

Alur (Karnataka), June

8: Young Karan Sharma led from the front with a calm and composed 93 not out as Uttar Pradesh knocked out favourites Karnataka with a five-wicket win in their Ranji Trophy quarterfinals here on Wednesday.

This was UP’s first ever win over Karnataka on 13 occasions and it could not have come at a better time. UP are now headed for a semifinal clash against heavyweights Mumbai at the same venue.

Previously, UP had lost four times and drawn nine times but never won against Karnataka.

Captaining the team in his very first season for UP, the

23-year-old Sharma, playing his fourth first-class match, showed solid temperament in their chase of 213 after

Priyam Garg made an elegant 60-ball 52.

Sharma, who scored a second innings century in their win over Maharashtra that sealed their quarterfinal berth here, once again stood like a rock.

The Lucknow Super Giants batter, who faced 163 balls (119 of them dots), paced his innings brilliantly, especially at the fag end of the day.

That the slow pitch had little to offer for the pacers also played a part as Sharma happily took on Ronit More, pulling him in front of square, even on front foot. He slammed 13 fours and one six in his knock as UP win with two days to spare.

MULANI, JAISWAL PUT MUMBAI IN CONTROL

In Bengaluru, left-arm spinner Shams Mulani’s fivewicket haul was well complemented by opener Yashasvi Jaiswal’s maiden hundred as Mumbai put themselves in the driver’s seat on the third day of their quarterfinal against Uttarakhand.

Mumbai’s overall lead stood at a staggering 794 runs and with that they seemed to have put one-foot in the semifinal.