Watch: Monkey runs into field and leaves Karnataka fielders in U19 T20 clash

A monkey that ran onto the field provided an unexpected moment of drama during the Women’s U19 T20 Trophy quarter-final between Karnataka and Vidarbha in Nagpur on Thursday, October 22. Karnataka’s Uma Kashvi was caught off guard when the animal suddenly ran towards her near the boundary, briefly interrupting the match. However, the 15-year-old had plenty to celebrate by the end of the match and produced a superb performance with the ball to help Karnataka secure a six-run victory.

The incident took place when Kashvi was heading near the border and spotted a monkey coming towards her. She tried to get out of the way but lost her balance and fell to the grass as the animal ran past her. The unexpected encounter caused a brief scare, but Kashvi managed to regain her feet.

An unusual incident added an unexpected twist to the unexpectedly contested quarter-final. Once play resumed, the focus returned to the contest, with Karnataka ultimately holding their nerve to book a place in the semi-finals.

KASHVI BRILLIANT IN KARNATAKA’S VICTORY

Kashvi had an excellent spell with the ball and returned figures of 4-0-18-3. Her performance proved crucial as Karnataka defended their total against a determined Vidarbha side.

Karnataka batted first, posting 140 for seven in their allotted 20 overs. They slipped to 65 for five before Kushi Suryakanth and Inchara Umesh helped settle the innings with a 38-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Suryakanth remained unbeaten on 33 while Karnika Karthik contributed 23 to help Karnataka post a competitive total.

Vidarbha started their chase on a positive note but struggled to maintain the pace as Karnataka picked up wickets at regular intervals. Swara Thakare remained unbeaten on 32 while Sakshi Bhupal scored 25 not out. However, their efforts fell short as Vidarbha ended up on 134 for seven, making Karnataka a six-run winner.

Karnataka will next face Baroda in the semi-final on October 24 at the Lady Amritbai Daga College Ground in Nagpur. Delhi and Haryana will face each other in the second semi-final at the same venue after the Karnataka-Baroda match.

WPL AUCTION OPPORTUNITY AWAITS

Kashvi’s appearance comes at an exciting time for the young cricketer. The 15-year-old was logged on Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2027 auction at a base price of Rs 10 lakh.

The opportunity to enter the WPL auction is yet another milestone for the Karnataka youngster who hopes that her performances in domestic cricket will help her attract the attention of franchises.

So far, Kashvi’s three-wicket haul has helped Karnataka move a step closer to the title. While the monkey’s unexpected appearance provided one of the more unusual moments of the quarter-final, Karnataka’s six-run victory ensured that the team’s performance remained the main talking point.

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