Skipper Robin Uthappa (92, 36b) went ballistic as Karnataka trounced Hyderabad by 80 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali South Zone T20 tournament here on Thursday.
Electing to bat, Uthappa smashed eight sixes and as many fours as Karnataka posted 202 for eight. Uthappa's 50 came off just 18 balls. In reply, Hyderabad folded up for 122 in 16.2 overs.
In another match, Dinesh Karthik's quickfire half-century helped Tamil Nadu register a six-wicket win over Kerala. Kerala posted 159 for five — thanks to a fourth-wicket partnership of 92 off 70 balls between Robert Fernandez (44) and Rohan Prem (48) — after electing to bat.
TN responded briskly through S. Anirudha (34, 23b, 6x4), and was well on its way after Karthik and Abhinav Mukund (21) added 71 runs off 55 balls for the third wicket.
The four points garnered took the home team's tally to 12, with one league game — against Hyderabad — in hand.
Elsewhere, Goa posted its first win of the tournament (by two wickets off the last ball of the match) over Andhra.
The scores: Andhra 118 for nine in 20 overs (V. Manoj Sai 27, Ryan D'Souza three for 19) lost to Goa 122 for eight in 20 overs (Amit Yadav 31, S.H. Srinivas three for 28).
Kerala 159 for five in 20 overs (Robert Fernandez 44, Rohan Prem 48, V. Yomahesh three for 21) lost to TN 162 for four in 19.1 overs (S. Anirudha 34, Dinesh Karthik 55, S. Sureshkumar 37 n.o.).
Karnataka 202 for eight in 20 overs (Robin Uthappa 92, C.M. Gautam 53 n.o., Pragyan Ojha four for 29) bt Hyderabad 122 in 16.2 overs (Ashish Reddy 29 n.o., K.P. Appanna three for 31).
