Vijay Hazare Trophy: Axar Patel Stars as Gujarat Beat Kerala, Enter Last Eight

Gujarat produced an all-round display to beat Kerala by seven wickets in a low-scoring affair and progress to the knock-out round of the Vijay Hazare Trophy One-Day cricket tournament, here on Friday. (Yuvraj Guides Punjab Into Quarters | Unmukt Chand Smashes Fiery Hundred)

The convincing win meant Gujarat joined Jharkhand in the knockouts from Group B after both the teams finished with 20 points each from six games. (Dinesh Karthik, Baba Aparajith Tons Help Tamil Nadu Qualify for Quarters)

Opting to bowl, Gujarat bowled Kerala out for 102 with Axar Patel picking up three wickets for just 16 runs from his 10 overs and Rush Kalaria (2/12), Rohit Dahiya (2/16) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/15) taking two each.

For Kerala, it was a second successive batting failure, having been shot out for 49 by Karnataka on Thursday. Sachin Baby (41) was their only batsman to cross the 15-run mark. (Rishi Dhawan Ton Guides Himachal Into Quarterfinals)

Chasing the paltry target, Gujarat had a slight wobble when they lost both their openers in the space of two overs --with only one run coming between the two dismissals -- to slip to 21 for 2.

But Himayala Barad (24), Rujul Bhatt (35 not out) and Chirag Gandhi (20 not out) ensured Gujarat overwhelm the modest target comfortably, with 17.1 overs remaining. (Umesh Yadav Shines as Vidarbha Beat Maharashtra)

Fabid Ahmed (2/28) picked up two wickets for Kerala.

Brief Scores:

Kerala: 102 all out in 43.2 overs (Sachin Baby 41; Axar Patel 3/16).

Gujarat: 103 for three in 32.5 overs (Rujul Bhat 35 not out, Himalaya Barad 24; Fabid Ahmed 2/28).