New Delhi, Feb 1 (NationPress) Karnataka, Jharkhand, Andhra, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir have successfully secured their spots in the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals after achieving favorable outcomes on the final day of their seventh round league matches.

At the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, Karnataka’s captain, Devdutt Padikkal, delivered an outstanding unbeaten performance, scoring 120 runs off 85 balls, guiding his team to a remarkable chase of 250 runs in just 27.5 overs against Punjab to clinch the last quarter-final position.

The left-handed batsman, who took on captaincy following a significant defeat to Madhya Pradesh in the previous match, showcased his skills with a powerful inning, supported by Mayank Agarwal who contributed a quick 53 runs off 36 balls.

Saurashtra, having defeated Chandigarh by an innings and 56 runs, was poised to claim the last quarter-final slot from Elite Group B, contingent on Karnataka's failure to win in Mohali. Padikkal’s remarkable innings ensured that did not happen.

Karnataka’s bowlers had earlier limited Punjab to 256 runs in the second innings, although it took 101 overs, making time a crucial element. Padikkal's urgent approach saw him reach his first fifty in 42 balls and his second in just 32 deliveries, culminating in victory with the winning runs.

In Elite Group A, Jharkhand, Andhra, and Vidarbha were tied on 31 points at the top. However, bonus point victories distinguished them, allowing Jharkhand to advance with three points, Andhra with two, while defending champions Vidarbha exited with just one.

Despite Vidarbha's victory over Uttar Pradesh in Nagpur, they narrowly missed the knockout stage, indicating that a new champion will emerge in this season's Ranji Trophy. They will regret their earlier loss to Andhra, which ultimately led to their exit.

In Elite Group C, after Bengal triumphed over Haryana, securing their position as table-toppers and entering the knockouts in Rohtak, Uttarakhand followed suit by defeating Assam by an innings and 42 runs.

Mayank Mishra took 6 wickets for 86 runs as Uttarakhand bowled out Assam for 278 after enforcing a follow-on. Captain Kunal Chandela's double-century in the first innings set the tone for Uttarakhand's dominant performance in Dehradun.

In Elite Group D, following a drawn match against Delhi, where Delhi's skipper Ayush Doseja scored an unbeaten 159, Jammu and Kashmir advanced to the knockouts as the second-best team.

J&K gained a substantial first innings lead of 603 runs against Himachal Pradesh, who were bowled out for 168 in their first innings and struggled at 26/2 in their second innings. However, due to overnight rain, play was not possible on the fourth day at the Amtar cricket ground in Nadaun.

The schedule for the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals is set for February 6-10:

Quarterfinal 1 – Jharkhand vs Uttarakhand
Quarterfinal 2 – Madhya Pradesh vs Jammu & Kashmir
Quarterfinal 3 – Bengal vs Andhra
Quarterfinal 4 – Mumbai vs Karnataka