SMAT 2021: 3 Karnataka players to watch out for in the final
Karnataka takes on defending champions Tamil Nadu in the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021 on Monday, November 22 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Despite their inexperienced bowling attack, Karnataka have held their own to make the finals after facing stiff opposition in Mumbai, Bengal, Saurashtra, and Vidharba.
While the side have two big names in Manish Pandey and Karun Nair, other players in the team have chipped in and played their part to perfection. Ahead of the South Indian derby, we take a look at three players apart from the big guns to keep an eye out for.
#1 KC Cariappa: Karnataka's leading wicket-taker in SMAT 2021
The tweaker proved his bowling prowess in the all-important quarterfinal against Bengal, where he gave away just 5 runs in a stellar super-over. In addition, he has been the team's leading wicket-taker with ten wickets from eight games at an average of 18.00 and an economy rate of 5.62.
Cariappa's performance will also see him stake a claim for a berth in another IPL franchise after turning out for Kolkata and Rajasthan.
#2 Rohan Kadam: Karnataka's impressive opener in SMAT 2021
The opener was instrumental in helping Karnataka post a solid 176 against Vidarbha in the semifinals of SMAT 2021. His 56-ball-87 was studded with crisp shots that helped the side get off to a flier with skipper Manish Pandey at the other end.
With 150 runs from three matches, Kadam has been a solid replacement for Devdutt Padikkal, who played the initial games before jetting off for India duty.
#3 Abhinav Manohar
The youngster made his debut for Karnataka in SMAT 2021. He scored an all important 49-ball-70* against Saurashtra, taking his side home in the final over of their 150 run chase.
Manohar followed up with a string of cameos. These included a 9-ball-19 against Bengal and a 13-ball-27 against Vidarbha in the semifinals to become the side's designated finisher.
The young lad, with his range-hitting abilities, is one to watch out for when Karnataka faces off against TN in the final.