Chasing a treble, Ranji champions Karnataka will be eyeing to continue their dream run, while Bengal will be under pressure against Railways in a grudge match in the Vijay Hazare Trophy semi-final double header here on Friday.
Spearheaded by medium pacer R Vinay Kumar, who has grabbed 50 wickets from the last 10 matches (in both list A and first-class formats), Karnataka also boast of a formidable batting line-up, with Robin Uthappa and youngster Karun Nair scoring centuries in their successful chase of 301 against Gujarat in the quarters.
Having won the Ranji Trophy and the Irani Trophy, Karnataka will be eyeing to make a hat-trick of titles.In Jharkhand, who will be missing India pacer Varun Aaron, Karnataka should have an easy opponent in the first semifinal at the JU second campus ground in Saltlake.
But going by the local interest and the intense rivalry that the two teams had this season, all eyes would be on the Bengal versus Railways fixture at the floodlit Eden Gardens. Railways had a bitter rivalry against Bengal this season, beginning with Murali Kartik’s ‘Mankading’ in the Ranji group stage. So it may turn out to be an interesting contest.