Ranji Trophy 2022-23, Quarter-finals Preview: Part 2

image-ldisjb16Mayank Agarwal is Karnataka's highest run-scorer (Twitter)

Following an enthralling group stage, the knockout stage has arrived in the Ranji Trophy 2022-23 season with four quarter-final matches set to commence from Tuesday, January 31st.

Bengal, Jharkhand, Punjab, Saurashtra, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh will be in action as they qualified for the final eight after finishing in top two position of their respective group.

In part one, we looked at the teams battling in the first two quarter-finals. Let's take quick snippets of the teams and some of the key players to watch out for in the remaining two quarterfinals.

Quarter-final 3: Karnataka vs Uttarakhand

Karnataka will take on Uttarakhand in the third quarter-final at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Journey so far

Karnataka topped Elite Group C, winning four of their seven group fixtures and drawing the remaining three. The eight-time winners started their campaign slowly, with only one win from the first three games but managed to win three of the remaining four and assured themselves a quarter-final spot.

image-ldisv0j3Team Karnataka (Twitter)

On the other hand, Uttarakhand continued their impressive domestic season, winning each of their first three fixtures and managed to finish second in Elite Group A to qualify for the quarter-final stage in consecutive seasons. Just like Karnataka, Uttarakhand is yet to lose a game in the tournament. Moreover, this will be the first first-class match ever between these two sides.

Key Players

  • Mayank Agarwal (Karnataka): 603 Runs at 67, Two 100s, Four 50s
  • Kunal Chandela (Uttarakhand): 509 Runs at 56.55, One 100, Three 50s
  • Vijaykumar Vyshak (Karnataka): 27 Wickets at 20.48
  • Mayank Mishra (Uttarakhand): 32 Wickets at 20.12

Prediction

Both the teams are yet to lose any game but looking at the team’s recent form and their respective squads on paper, Karnataka, who will be playing at their home is expected to go through to the Semi-final.

Quarter-final 4: Madhya Pradesh vs Andhra Pradesh

image-ldisn3zaDefending Champions Madhya Pradesh (Twitter)

Defending champions Madhya Pradesh will square off against Andhra Pradesh in the fourth quarter-final at Holkar Stadium in Indore.

Journey so far

Madhya Pradesh topped Elite Group D with five wins, one defeat and a draw. The defending champions enjoyed a dominating group stage, winning each of their first five games. However, their winning streak got broken against Punjab, followed by a draw in the last group fixture.

On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh started the group stage poorly but grabbed form at the right time, starting with a win against rival Hyderabad and went on to win three of their last four games. However, they needed neither Mumbai nor Maharashtra to gain a first innings lead or a win. As miracles do happen, both Mumbai and Maharashtra tied their first innings score and the game ended in a draw. Andhra qualified for the quarter-final by the barest of margins.

Key Players

  • Karan Shinde (Andhra Pradesh): 439 Runs at 48.77, One 100, Four 50s
  • Himanshu Mantri (Madhya Pradesh): 505 Runs at 45.90, Two 100s, One 50
  • Lalith Mohan (Andhra Pradesh): 25 Wickets at 25.16
  • Avesh Khan (Madhya Pradesh): 31 Wickets at 15.64

Prediction

Both the teams are quiet even on paper. However, with Madhya Pradesh playing at their home, the defending champions are expected to win this match.

Also Read: Ranji Trophy 2022-23, Quarter-finals Preview: Part I