Spinner Kumar Kartikeya carried on with his brilliant bowling display and spun a web around the Punjab batters as Madhya Pradesh cruised into the Ranji Trophy semi-finals with a 10-wicket victory here on Thursday.
Kartikeya scalped 6 for 50, his second-best bowling figures in First Class cricket, with another spinner Saransh Jain playing perfect second fiddle, claiming 4 for 100, as Punjab folded for a paltry 203 in the second innings.
Punjab resumed play on day four at 120 for 5, still 58 adrift of their opponent to make them bat again and riding on Mayank Markande (33), who batted with freedom, taking the MP bowlers to the cleaners with one four and three sixes posted 203 in second innings.
With only 26 to chase down, MP openers Himanshu Mantri (9 not out) and Yash Dubey (17) achieved the target without much fuss in just 5.1 overs, helping their side to comfortably book a place in the last four of the elite domestic event.