Devdutt Padikkal produced one of the finest knocks of the season to steer Karnataka into the quarterfinals of the Ranji Trophy 2025–26 with a thrilling five-wicket win over Punjab at the IS Bindra Cricket Stadium, Mohali.

Karnataka faced an early challenge during their final day chase of 250 when KL Rahul got out. The captain of the team Devdutt Padikkal took command of the match by scoring 120 runs without getting out from 85 deliveries. His innings which included six fours and five massive sixes made Karnataka win the match.

Padikkal formed a fast 113-run partnership with Mayank Agarwal which they completed in 72 deliveries to give their team an early advantage in the match. Punjab made a brief comeback after Emanjot Singh Chahal dismissed Agarwal who scored 53 runs because Aneesh KV and Smaran Ravichandran got out quickly which left Karnataka at 134 for 4.

Padikkal’s consistency lifts Karnataka into knockouts

Padikkal received crucial backing from Shreyas Gopal and Vidyadhar Patil who helped Karnataka achieve victory after 27.5 overs. The victory ensured Karnataka finished second in Elite Group B with 27 points, behind table-toppers Madhya Pradesh, and sealed their spot in the knockout stage.

Karnataka Win 👏

They qualify for the quarters & the celebrations say it all 👌

Captain Devdutt Padikkal finishes it off in style and remains unbeaten on 120*(85)💥

What a brilliant performance & what a fantastic chase 🔥

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/yY9bAnzUIX@IDFCFIRSTBank… pic.twitter.com/QxyI9eLQ06

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) February 1, 2026

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Padikkal maintains his outstanding performance across all cricketing formats. The left-hander has now scored 3,328 runs in 51 First-Class matches at an average of 41.08, including eight centuries. Since 2024, he has played two Test matches for the Indian national team. Karnataka will now face Mumbai in the fourth quarterfinal, starting February 6.

Ranji Trophy 2025–26 Quarterfinal Fixtures

The victory momentum which Karnataka currently possesses will become their advantage during the knockout match which they hope Padikkal will maintain his successful performance.

Vidarbha are dreaming of their first Vijay Hazare Trophy title by reaching the Final for the 2025-26 edition after beating the defending champions Karnataka by six wickets in the first Semi-final. Vidarbha have reached the back-to-back Vijay Hazare Trophy Finals after taking a strong revenge for their last Vijay Hazare Trophy Final defeat against Karnataka. 

Karnataka chose to field first in the day-night match at Bengaluru. After a poor start, Karnataka were all out for 280 in 49.4 overs. In reply, Vidarbha chased down the target in 46.2 overs after losing four wickets. 

Darshan Nalkande claimed fifer to control Karnataka innings

Karnataka openers, captain Mayank Agarwal (9) and Devdutt Padikkal (4), were dismissed in single digits, as they were struggling at 20/2. While Dhruv Prabhakar (28) was dismissed after getting a start, Karun Nair and Krishnan Shrijith had a strong 113-run partnership for the fourth wicket. 

Nair scored 74 off 90 balls with eight fours and one six, while Shrijith was dismissed soon after Nair with the score of 54 off 53 balls with seven fours. Shreyas Gopal (36) and Abhinav Manohar (26) then had a 55-run partnership for the sixth wicket. In the lower-order batting, only Vijaykumar Vyshak managed to reach the double-digit score with 17 runs off 11 balls. 

Darshan Nalkande was brilliant with the ball, as the right-arm pacer claimed a fifer and ended with the bowling figures of 10-0-48-5. Nalkande dismissed four set batters who were Dhruv Prabhakar (28), Karun Nair (74), Shreyas Gopal (36) and Abhinav Manohar (26), along with Vidyadhar Patil (1). Also, Yash Thakur got two wickets, finishing with the bowling figures of 9.4-3-64-2.

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Aman Mokhade slammed powerful century

Although the Vidarbha opener Atharva Taide (6) was dismissed cheaply, his opening partner Aman Mokhade was the hero of the match with a memorable century. There were back-to-back strong partnerships, as Aman had a 98-run partnership with Dhruv Shorey (47) for the second wicket, and a powerful 147-run partnership with Ravikumar Samarth for the third wicket.

Aman scored 138 of 122 balls with 12 fours and two sixes. It was his fifth century in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26. Meanwhile, Ravikumar was not out for 76 off 69 balls with the help of seven fours, as these top strong batting performances were enough for them to win the match against the defending champions. 

The 25-year-old Devdutt Padikkal is in great form with the bat in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, as he slammed his third century in four innings. Karnataka opener scored another century on the final day of 2025, when they faced Puducherry in the Elite Group A contest in Ahmedabad. 

Devdutt Padikkal scored 113 runs

After Karnataka chose to bat first, both the openers provided a strong start. Captain Mayank Agarwal and Devdutt Padikkal set a big 228-run partnership for the first wicket, as both the openers slammed centuries. 

While Padikkal scored 113 off 116 balls with 10 fours and four sixes, Mayank scored 132 runs off 124 balls with 15 fours and two sixes. Later, Karun Nair remained not out on 62 off 34 balls with four fours and four sixes, as Karnataka scored 363/4 in 50 overs. 

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Devdutt Padikkal is in great form

It was the third century in the last four games for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Padikkal. He started the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 with back-to-back centuries against Jharkhand and Kerala. While his 147 in 118 balls helped Karnataka to chase the 413-run target against Jharkhand, his 124 off 137 balls helped his team to chase the 285-run target, where Karun Nair also scored a century (130*). In their previous game against Tamil Nadu, Padikkal scored 22 runs, but his team successfully chased the 289-run target. 

Padikkal is now the leading run-scorer in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy with 406 runs in four innings with an average of 101.50. Before the ongoing VHT, the left-handed batter also performed impressively in the domestic T20 tournament, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26. Playing six matches in that tournament, he scored 309 runs with an average of 61.80 and a strike rate of 167.02, including one century and two half-centuries. 

On the second day of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, Karnataka successfully chased the 285-run target against Kerala, thanks to centuries by Devdutt Padikkal and Karun Nair. 

After Karnataka chose to field first in Ahmedabad, Kerala scored 284/7 in 50 overs, with two 70+ scores. In reply, the opener Devdutt Padikkal and the no.3 batter Karun Nair scored strong centuries to guide the team to a crucial victory with a comfortable chase, as Karnataka chased down the target in 48.2 overs after losing only two wickets.

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Kerala revived from poor start

Kerala lost their first three batters inside the first 10 overs, as they were once struggling at 49/3. The middle-order batters handled the innings with their solid innings. While Baba Aparajith scored 71 off 62 balls with eight fours and two sixes, Mohammed Azharuddeen played a smashing knock of 84 not out off just 58 balls with three fours and four sixes. 

Also, Vishnu Vinod (35) and MD Nidheesh (34*) played some helpful innings, while Mohammed Azharuddeen and Nidheesh had a 99-run partnership for the unbroken eighth wicket. Among the Karnataka bowlers, Abhilash Shetty got three wickets (3/59) and Shreyas Gopal picked up two wickets (2/61).

Devdutt Padikkal and Karun Nair slammed centuries after Mayank Agarwal's early dismissal

Although Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal was dismissed for only one run in the second over, his opening partner Devdutt Padikkal and the no.3 batter Karun Nair completely controlled the chase with a 223-run partnership for the second wicket. 

Padikkal scored 124 runs off 137 balls with 12 fours and three sixes. Although Padikkal was dismissed, Karun Nair and Ravichandran Smaran guided the team to a successful chase. While Smaran scored 25 not out off 16 balls with four fours, the Player of the Match Karun scored a run-a-ball 130 not out with the help of 14 fours. 

South Africa’s famous chase of 435 against Australia in the Johannesburg ODI now has company. Karnataka chased down a huge target of 413 against Jharkhand in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy on Wednesday, December 24.

This is only the second time in List A cricket history that a target of more than 400 has been successfully chased. Karnataka completed the second-highest chase in the format’s history with five wickets in hand and 15 balls remaining.

Openers Devdutt Padikkal and captain Mayank Agarwal gave the chase a strong start. They attacked the bowlers from the beginning and added 114 runs for the first wicket in just 11.5 overs before Mayank got out.

Padikkal stayed till the end, while the other batters supported him well. Karun Nair scored 29 off 27 balls, Smaran Ravichandran made 27 off 21, and KL Shrijith added 38 off 32 balls. The lower-middle order then finished the chase calmly.

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🚨 KARNATAKA CHASE DOWN 413 RUNS AGAINST JHARKHAND 🥶💥

Devdutt Padikkal - 147(118)
Abhinav Manohar - 56*(32)
Mayank Agarwal - 54(34)
Dhruv Prabhakar - 40*(22)

One of the Craziest chases ever in Vijay Hazare Trophy history. pic.twitter.com/lx5O4KHNzb

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 24, 2025

Manohar and Prabhakar finish the chase

Abhinav Manohar and Dhruv Prabhakar came together after Devdutt Padikkal was out in the 41st over at a crucial stage. Karnataka needed more than 80 runs in the last nine overs with five wickets in hand. The duo stayed calm and played attacking knocks.

Manohar scored 56 runs off 32 balls, hitting eight fours and one six. Prabhakar supported him well with 40 runs off 22 balls, which included six fours and one six. Their partnership helped Karnataka chase down 413 with 15 balls remaining.

Second-highest run chase in List A history

This chase is now the second-highest successful run chase in List A cricket history. The record is still held by South Africa, who chased 435 against Australia in 2006.

Highest run chases in List A cricket history:

1. 435 – South Africa vs Australia, Johannesburg (2005/06)
2. 413 – Karnataka vs Jharkhand, Ahmedabad (2025)
3. 399 – Queensland vs Tasmania, Sydney (2014/15)
4. 392 – Karachi vs Sialkot, Sialkot (2003/04)
5. 388 – Middlesex vs Durham, Chester-le-Street (2025)

Anvay Dravid, son of former India captain Rahul Dravid, has been named captain and wicketkeeper of Karnataka’s Under-19 team for the upcoming Vinoo Mankad Trophy. The tournament is India’s top junior one-day competition and has helped many young players make their mark. Anvay’s promotion to captain shows how well he has performed in recent years at the junior level.

The 18-year-old has been one of Karnataka’s most talented young batters. He was the team’s highest run-scorer in the previous edition of the Vinoo Mankad Trophy and has shown great maturity at a young age. His leadership appointment is seen as a reward for his reliability and ability to perform under pressure.

Anvay’s form in recent years has been nothing short of outstanding. In the Under-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy, he topped Karnataka’s run charts for the second straight season, scoring 459 runs in six matches at a brilliant average of 91.80, including two centuries and 46 boundaries. His calm and composed approach has made him a cornerstone of Karnataka’s youth structure.

Karnataka Squads for the New Season

The Karnataka Under-19 squad for the Vinoo Mankad Trophy includes Anvay Dravid (captain, wk), Nitish Arya, Adarsh D Urs, S Manikanth (vice-captain), Praneeth Shetty, Vasav Venkatesh, Akshath Prabhakar, C Vaibhav, Kuldeep Singh Purohit, Rathan BR, Vaibhav Sharma, KA Tejas, Atharv Malviya, Sunny Kanchi, and Rehan Mohammed (wk).

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Meanwhile, Karnataka’s senior team has announced its squad for the 2025 Ranji Trophy opener against Saurashtra. The big news is Karun Nair's return after playing a major role in Vidarbha's title-winning season last year. Mayank Agarwal will lead the team, with Kruthik Krishna, Shikhar Shetty, and Mohsin Khan coming into the team looking to make an impact as Karnataka look to start strong this coming season.

Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa has opened up about being dropped and eventually leaving Karnataka after the 2016-17 domestic season. The right-handed batter shared the episode on the YouTube podcast First Umpire, explaining how his comments were misunderstood to be about Karun Nair, which prompted the latter to distance himself from him.

The 39-year-old recalled that after a match in Mumbai during the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy, he gave an interview explaining his disappointment at missing out on an opportunity to play Test cricket for India while saying some seemed to get a red shirt too easily.

He revealed that a teammate told Karun Nair that the remarks were aimed at him, and since the latter did not clarify the misunderstanding, he began keeping his distance. He said, “There was an interview. At that point, I was trying to get into the Test team. I was frustrated because despite performing well, I wasn’t even being considered. Maybe all of those emotions came out in the conversation. I said in the interview that Test caps were being given away too easily and that some people really needed to earn them rather than just being given them freely.”

“Someone from our team took that piece of interview and told Karun Nair that I had said it about him. Karun Nair, who was like a younger brother, alienated me at that time because he was close to getting a Test cap. He didn’t check with me and believed it. A few days later, some infighting started. When the interview came out, since it was in Bombay, and Bombay loves to dominate domestic cricket, the media there even portrayed it in a way that could be perceived as if I was talking about Karun. Karun believed it and distanced himself from me.”

“Not a Single Person Stood Up for Me”

Uthappa added that when the team qualified for the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals, a meeting was held in which he was accused of disrupting the team, and he revealed that not a single teammate spoke up in his defense. He said, “Later, there was a meeting in Karnataka. Generally, when we qualified for the quarterfinals, I had this habit of getting everyone together, inviting them home, sharing a meal and drinks, and building team unity. Before I could invite them home, there was a meeting in the stadium. I was called up and told I was breaking up the team and creating issues. Vijay Sir was in that meeting. I told Vijay Sir, ‘If anyone here feels I am breaking the team, raise your hand. If even one person does, I will stop playing for Karnataka right now.’ Not a single person raised their hand.”

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“It was just an orchestrated attack on me because I had won the trust of the team, and the boys came to me with their issues. That was working, but after I stood up for the team, no one stood up for me. I felt very let down. Combined with Karun feeling I was against him, that hurt me because he was like a younger brother. I wanted nothing more than for players like Karun, Rahul, and Manish to succeed and play for India. I felt really let down by the team because not even one person stood up for me.” Later that season, Robin Uthappa was omitted from Karnataka's 16-man squad for the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Tamil Nadu. Vinay Kumar’s team went on to lose the match by seven wickets.

Hubli Tigers had a strong start to the tournament, winning their opening match by 29 runs against Shivamogga Lions and currently hold the second position in the points table. They successfully defended the target of 216 runs. Mohammad Taha was the standout performer for Hubli Tigers, scoring 101 runs off 53 balls. 

On the other hand, Bengaluru Blasters lost their opening match by 39 runs against Mysore Warriors, failing to chase down the target of 181 runs. 

BB vs HT Match Details

Date: August 13th, 2025

Time: 3:15 PM IST

Venue: Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadeyar Ground, Mysore 

Live Streaming: Fancode  

BB vs HT Weather Report

Clear weather 

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Top Batters BB vs HT

• Mohammad Taha (HT) - 101 runs in this tournament 

• Mayank Agarwal (BB) - 66 runs in this tournament 

• Devdutt Padikkal (HT) - 52 runs this tournament 

Top Bowler BB vs HT

• Shubhang Hegde (BB) - 3 wickets in this tournament 

• KC Cariappa (HT) - 2 wickets in this tournament 

• Nishchith Pai (HT) - 2 wickets in this tournament 

BB vs HT Recent Performance

BB vs HT Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1- If HT bats first

• First Innings score prediction- HT is expected to score 180-195 runs

• Result prediction- HT will win the match by 30-40 Runs 

Scenario 2- If BB bats first

• First Innings score prediction- BB is expected to score 155-165 runs.

• Result prediction-HT will win the match by 4 wickets 

BB vs HT Predicted Playing XI

Bengaluru Blasters (BB) Playing XI 

Mayank Agarwal(c), Bhuvan Raju, Rohan Patil, Suraj Ahuja(w), Shubhang Hegde, Naveen MG, Mohsin Khan, Rohan Naveen, Prateek Jain, Vidyadhar Patil, Punith S.

Hubli Tigers (HT) Playing XI

Mohammed Taha, Prakhar Chaturvedi, Devdutt Padikkal(c), Krishnan Shrijith(w), Karthikeya KP, Abhinav Manohar, Manvanth Kumar L, Ritesh Bhatkal, Nishchith Pai, KC Cariappa, Sankalp Shettennavar.

BB vs HT Complete Squad

Bengaluru Blasters - 

Mayank Agarwal, Shubhang Hegde, Suraj Ahuja, Naveen MG, A Rohan Patil, Chethan LR, Mohsin Khan, Vidyadhar Patil, Siddharth Akhil, Madhav Prakash Bajaj, Rohan Naveen, Kruthik Krishna, Advith M Shetty, Bhuvan Mohan Raju, Rohan M Raju, Niranjan Naik, Prateek Jain, Ishaan S.

Hubli Tigers -

Manvanth Kumar L, Shrijith KL, KC Cariappa, Karthikeya KP, Abhinav Manohar, Devdutt Padikkal, Mohammed Taha, Vijayaraj B, Prakhar Chaturvedi, Sankalp SS, Samarth Nagaraj, Rakshith S, Nithin S Nagaraja, Yash Raj Punja, Ritesh L Bhatkal, Shreesha S Achar, Nathan JF D Mello, Nischith Pai.

BB vs HT Today Match Prediction, Who Will Win the Match?

Hubli Tigers To win

We predict that Hubli Tigers will be winning this Karnataka T20 Maharaja Trophy 2025 match. The likes of Mohammad Taha, Devdutt Padikkal and KC Cariappa will be key players to watch out for.

Finally, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah came forward and broke the silence about the stampede incident outside M. Chinnaswamy on June 4. In a shocking statement, K'taka CM said that he became aware of the tragic incident only at 5:45 PM on June 4.

The descriptions of the incident, where about 11 deaths had occurred and over 50 people were injured, have now circulated widely. The investigation is underway, and for now, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is under immense pressure. But the citizens of India and the state were waiting for the reaction from the Chief Minister.

Siddaramaiah said in his statement, "I came to know that deaths happened at 5.45 pm. At 3.50 pm, deaths were reported at the hospital, but I came to know about it only at 5.45 pm. Until that point, I was not aware of deaths taking place due to the stampede. I have taken action against whoever has done wrong." Due to the unorganized and chaotic gathering in the road, near the state assembly, the Vidhana Soudha security officer M.N. Kariasavana raised his concerns in a written format. 

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Warning was issued early

According to media reports, Kariasavana said in a letter to Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms Secretary G. Satyavanthi, "Lakhs of security personnel are supposed to come to Vidhana Soudha. Since there is a shortage of security personnel, making security arrangements will be difficult. The incident happened near the cricket stadium. I have no connection with that. It should not have happened. Neither the deputy chief minister… (then he corrected himself, saying), no, neither the home minister nor I know about it (planning meetings)."

The government of Karnataka has increased the compensation for the victims of the stampede from INR 10 lakh to INR 25 lakh. The CM vowed to stand by the families of the deceased. 

Karnataka vs Vidarbha: Key Details for the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 Final

The Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 has reached its finishing stage after an exciting series of matches. The much anticipated final will see Karnataka face Vidarbha in a battle for the title. Here's everything you need to know about the big match, including the schedule, venue, and live streaming details.

In their semi-final clash, Vidarbha delivered a dominant performance against Maharashtra. Karun Nair was the star of the match, smashing an incredible 88 runs off just 44 balls, featuring 9 fours and 5 sixes. His explosive innings helped Vidarbha post a massive total of 380 runs. Maharashtra, in response, managed only 311 runs, falling short of the target. Nair's outstanding form in the tournament has been a game-changer for Vidarbha, with 752 runs to his name so far, making him one of the key reasons for the team’s success.

Karnataka, on the other hand, secured their spot in the final with an impressive victory over Haryana. This marks Karnataka’s fifth appearance in a Vijay Hazare Trophy final, showcasing their consistent performance throughout the tournament.  

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VHT Final Match Details:

When and Where to Watch KAR vs VID:

Reliance Stadium Pitch Report:

Official Umpires for Match:

KAR vs VID Squads: