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The Mumbai vs Karnataka Ranji Trophy quarter-final is evenly poised after three days at the MCA-BKC ground on Sunday.
Mumbai, fighting tooth and nail, clawed back into the game through a brilliant 89-run partnership for the ninth wicket between No. 9 Tanush Kotian (48 not out, 73b, 5×4, 1×6) and No. 10 Tushar Deshpande (47, 40b, 7×4, 2×6).
The partnership came off just 82. Karnataka had Mumbai at 287-8 with the hosts leading by 234, but Deshpande counter-attacked and found solid support from Kotian, who was at the firing end of some short-pitched missiles.
Now, Karnataka, facing a target of 325, are 113-2, having lost opener Mayank Agarwal (3) and captain Devdutt Padikkal (39), but still have the well-settled KL Rahul (60 batting) and Karun Nair (9 batting) for company.
When play resumes on Monday, Karnataka need another 212 to win and Mumbai, eight wickets. With the pitch already beginning to assist spinners given how off-spinner Tanush Kotian claimed the prized scalp of Padikkal, courtesy a brilliant left-handed catch by Yashasvi Jaiswal at slips, Karnataka won’t have it easy.
“We know we are one wicket away from causing a collapse. That’s how the surface behaves at BKC. Given the turn Tanush is getting, we’d like to think we are on top now,” said Mumbai’s second innings top-scorer and wicketkeeper Akash Anand (70).
Brief scores
Mumbai 120 & 377 (A Anand 70; S Shetty 3-45) vs Karnataka 173 & 113-2 (KL Rahul 60*, D Padikkal 39)
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