Abhilash Shetty

Riding on skipper Manish Pandey’s unbeaten half-century and fine bowling by abhilash shetty and CA Karthik, Gulbarga Mystics pulled off a seven-run win over Mysuru Warriors in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 tournament here.

R Smaran played a key role in securing a strong lead for Karnataka against Punjab in the Ranji Trophy by scoring a double century. His innings of 203 runs significantly contributed to Karnataka's total score. Punjab faced setbacks with two early wickets, giving Karnataka a chance to extend their campaign.

In a chat with us, Abhilash talks about the struggles faced by independent filmmakers, his thought process behind his next film, and more

Chasing a target of 255, Karnataka were 187 for 1 in 33 overs when rain stopped play at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 1 in Bengaluru. At that stage, the VJD par score was 132, with Karnataka well ahead. Devdutt Padikkal was unbeaten on 81 off 95 balls, while Karun Nair was not out on 74 from 80 deliveries.

Aman Mokhade's brilliant 138 powered Vidarbha to a stunning six-wicket victory over defending champions Karnataka in the Vijay Hazare Trophy semifinal. Despite Karnataka posting a competitive 280, disciplined bowling led by Darshan Nalkande's five-wicket haul restricted them. Mokhade's century, supported by Ravikumar Samarth's unbeaten 76, ensured Vidarbha chased down the target with ease.

Anustup Majumdar's century steered Bengal to 249/5 against Karnataka on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Group C match. Despite an early wobble, Majumdar's resilient knock, combined with Sudip Chatterjee's half-century, steadied the Bengal innings.

Goa's lower-order batsmen Arjun Tendulkar and Mohit Redkar displayed resilience, forging an unbeaten 56-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Their stand halted Karnataka's bowlers' progress on a weather-affected Day 3, with Goa reaching 171/6 in response to Karnataka's 371.

Karun Nair is set to return to Karnataka's Ranji Trophy squad after a two-season stint with Vidarbha. Mayank Agarwal will continue to captain the side, which also includes new faces. Meanwhile, Anvay Dravid, son of Rahul Dravid, will lead Karnataka in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy.

Out-of-favour India opener Mayank Agarwal was named Karnataka's captain for their first two Ranji Trophy matches against Madhya Pradesh and Kerala. Prasidh Krishna continued his comeback in domestic cricket. Devdutt Padikkal aimed for consistency, while Vidwath Kaverappa missed out due to injury. Shreyas Gopal returned to Karnataka after a stint with Kerala.

India international stars Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shubman Gill made their return to domestic cricket with disappointing performances. Rohit Sharma was dismissed for 3 runs, Jaiswal fell for 4, and Shubman Gill managed only 4 runs, all struggling to regain form ahead of upcoming international series against England and the Champions Trophy.

Karun Nair's unbeaten 174 anchored Karnataka's innings against Goa in the Ranji Trophy, marking his 25th First-Class century. Despite the milestone, Nair remained focused, saving celebrations for later. His resilient knock, spanning over 435 minutes, helped Karnataka post 371 before rain interrupted play, leaving Goa at 28/1.

Devdutt Padikkal and Ravichandran Smaran's impressive fifties led Karnataka to the Vijay Hazare Trophy final with a five-wicket win over Haryana. After an early setback, the duo's 128-run partnership ensured successful chase of 238, finishing at 238/5 in 47.2 overs. Karnataka bowlers, led by abhilash shetty, restricted Haryana to 237/9.

Rahul Dravid's younger son, Anvay Dravid, will captain Karnataka's U-19 side in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy. Meanwhile, discarded India batter Karun Nair returns to the Karnataka Ranji Trophy squad after two seasons, aiming for a comeback into the national team.

Karnataka's Vijay Hazare Trophy win, driven by skipper Mayank Agarwal's 651 runs and substantial contributions from rookies R Smaran, KV Aneesh, and KL Shrijith, underscores the team's collective effort and the promising emergence of young talents instrumental in achieving the triumph after a five-year gap.

Veteran pacer V Koushik claimed his third five-wicket haul to restrict Bengal to 301 runs in their first innings on Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy match. Despite Abhinav Manohar's fighting half-century, Karnataka found themselves struggling at 155/5 at stumps, trailing by 146 runs.

Veteran medium pacer V Koushik, a key figure in Karnataka's bowling attack since his 2019 debut, is set to represent Goa in the upcoming domestic season. The 32-year-old, who recently received a NOC from KSCA, aims to provide opportunities for younger players in Karnataka while continuing his career.

Propelled by an all-round show by Shubhang Hegde, Cambridge Cricket Club stormed into the semifinals of the KSCA T20 tournament. In the quarterfinals at the Alur cricket stadium here, they defeated Social Cricketers by a commanding 72-run margin.

Ravindra Jadeja returned to the Ranji Trophy with a five-wicket haul for Saurashtra, which helped his team dismiss Delhi for 188. Meanwhile, Indian stars Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill had disappointing performances in their respective matches, failing to contribute significantly with the bat.

Smaran Ravichandran's 101 off 92 balls guided Karnataka to a fifth Vijay Hazare Trophy, defeating Vidarbha by 36 runs in a high-scoring final. Supported by Krishnan Srijith's 78 and Abhinav Manohar's explosive 79, Karnataka posted 348/6. Despite Dhruv Shorey's century, Vidarbha fell short, being all out for 312 in 48.2 overs.

Pinki Elli, Koli Taal and Neeli Hakki are a part of the hybrid fest

In a contest befitting a finale, Gulbarga Mystics overpowered a spirited challenge from Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters to annex the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 tournament title here by a 11-run margin.