Alur (Bengaluru): Kerala outplayed Puducherry by six wickets to register their fifth win from six games in the Vijay Hazare Trophy national one-day championship here on Sunday.
Kerala were home and dry in the 20th over in their pursuit of a modest 117. Captain Sanju Samson (35 not out) and Sachin Baby (25 not out) took them home. Sanju smashed four fours and three sixes in his 13-ball stint.
Mumbai suffered a shock 53-run loss to Tripura via VJD method in another Group A game. Both Kerala and Mumbai have 20 points each.
Mumbai are in top spot, courtesy net run rate (1.952 as opposed to Kerala's 1.916). Kerala take on Railways in their final match on Tuesday, while Mumbai play Odisha.
Earlier, Kerala pacers wrecked Puducherry who were bowled out for 116 in 32.2 overs.
The trio of Basil Thampi, Akhil Scaria and Akhin Sathar vindicated Sanju's decision to bowl first. Akhin sent back opener K B Arun Karthick for a duck in the second over of the match.
Though the other opener Akash Kargave (25) and Parameeswaran Sivaraman (10) added 27 for the second wicket, Puducherry collapsed to 58/6 by the 14th over.
Puducherry captain and former Kerala player Fabid Farooque (44) waged a lone battle to take them past the 100-run mark. Fabid hit three fours and two sixes in his 49-ball knock.
Though left-arm spinner Sijomon Joseph picked up 3/2, Akhil was the pick of the Kerala bowlers with figures of 3/15 from his eight overs.
Brief scores: Puducherry 116 in 32.2 overs (Fabid Farooque 44; Sijomon Joseph 3/2, Akhil Scaria 3/15, Basil Thampi 2/39) lost to Kerala 121/4 in 19.5 overs (Sanju Samson 35 not out; Aravind 3/61).
Points: Kerala 4; Puducherry 0.
