Hazare Trophy: Devdutt Padikkal stars as Karnataka end Kerala's unbeaten run

Bengaluru: Karnataka ended Kerala's unbeaten run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy with an emphatic nine-wicket win at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday. Opener Devdutt Padikkal's unbeaten 126 helped them overhaul the target of 278 with 4.3 overs to spare.

Both Karnataka and Kerala have 12 points from four matches. Kerala take on Bihar in their final Elite Group C match on Sunday.

Padikkal and R Samarth provided a solid base for the opening wicket with a stand of 99. Samarth's 62 off 51 balls was laced with 10 fours.

Padikkal and Siddharth K V (86 not out) continued the good work. The two took the home side home with an unbeaten 180-run partnership

Padikkal hit 13 fours and two sixes in his 138-ball knock.

Jalaj Saxena was the lone successful bowler for Kerala.

Earlier, a fine 95 by Vathsal Govind and fifties by captain Sachin Baby and Mohammed Azharuddeen lifted Kerala to 277/8.

Kerala, who were put in to bat, were rocked early on as the in-form opener Robin Uthappa (0) and Sanju Samson (3) perished with just four on the board.

Opener Vishnu Vinod and southpaw Vathsal put the innings back on track with a 56-run stand. Vishnu was cleaned up by leggie Shreyas Gopal for 29.

Vathsal and Sachin added 114 for the fourth wicket. The left-handed Sachin hit two fours and a six in his 63-ball knock.

Vathsal and Azhar were involved in a 60-run stand. Vathsal was caught and bowled by Abhimanyu Mithun five short of the three-figure mark. He hit seven fours and a six while facing 124 balls.

Azhar's explosive 38-ball unbeaten 59 was studded with two fours and three sixes.

Mithun was the most successful Karanataka bowler with figures of 5/52.

Brief scores: Kerala 277/8 in 50 overs (Vathsal Govind 95, Mohammed Azharuddeen 59 not out, Sachin Baby 54; Abhimnayu Mithun 5/52, Prasidh Krishna 2/62) lost to Karnataka 279/1 in 45.3 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 126 not out, Siddharth K V 86 not out).

Points: Karnataka 4; Kerala 0.