RANJI TROPHY | Karnataka grinds Uttarakhand to dust with a mammoth lead

Karnataka dominates Uttarakhand in Ranji Trophy semifinals, securing a massive lead with standout performances despite skipper's injury.

It is rare for a Ranji Trophy final to take shape with nearly two full days of cricket left in the semifinals. But that’s what happened on Wednesday at the Ekana Cricket Stadium here and in distant Kalyani, after just 90 minutes of play.

Karnataka wore Uttarakhand down further and earned a massive 503-run first-innings lead even as Jammu & Kashmir reached the 126-run target to oust Bengal.

Uttarakhand, from an overnight 149 for five, was bundled out for 233 on the penultimate morning. With no requirement to force an outright result, Karnataka batted again and got to 299 for six by stumps, with the overall lead now a gigantic 802.

The only scare for the eight-time champion was the injury to skipper Devdutt Padikkal, who hurt his right hand while grassing Abhay Negi at gully off Prasidh Krishna.

Karnataka batsman Kruthik Krishna made the most of the chance to open the innings to score a half century on the fourth day of the Ranji Trophy semifinal against Uttarakhand at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. | Photo Credit: R.V. MOORTHY

The 25-year-old, who had his fingers taped for the rest of the day, neither marshalled his team thereafter nor came out to bat.