Karnataka and Kerala were forced to share a point each after their Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C encounter at the Alur Grounds ended in a frustrating draw due to persistent rain. The match was marred by inclement weather, with only two sessions of play possible out of a total of 12.
On the opening day, Kerala managed to reach 161 for three in the final session. However, the second day’s play was completely washed out, leaving both teams with a solitary point. The result was particularly disappointing for Karnataka, who had also been forced to settle for a draw in their rain-affected opening tie against Madhya Pradesh.
Kerala, on the other hand, had secured a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Punjab in their first game, giving them a total of six points. Karnataka, with just one point from two matches, will now travel to Patna to face Bihar from October 26. Kerala, meanwhile, will clash with Bengal in Kolkata.
The draw has left both teams in a precarious position in the standings. Karnataka, the eight-time Ranji Trophy champions, will need to secure victories in their remaining matches to stay in contention for a place in the knockout stages. Kerala, too, will need to perform consistently to maintain their position in the top half of the table.
The weather conditions have played a significant role in the early stages of the Ranji Trophy, with several matches being affected by rain. The BCCI will be hoping for better weather in the coming weeks to ensure that the tournament can be completed as scheduled.
