Opener Ravneet Ricky anchored Punjab to a seven-wicket victory over Karnataka with an unbeaten 76 in their second Group A league match of the All India Inter State Twenty20 tournament in Ahmedabad on Monday.

Punjab, chasing Kartanaka's 142 for 7, finished with 146 for three in 19.5 overs.

Ricky, who faced 50 balls and hit two sixes and eight fours, and Bipul Sharma (5 not out) remained unconquered at the end with a stand of 27 runs.

Punjab, who beat Railways in their opener on Sunday, needed 11 off the last 12 balls.

Things looked good for Karnataka when B Akhil gave away only one single in the first five balls of the 19th over. But Ricky scooped the last ball over the 'keeper's head for a timely four and then, with a run needed off two ballsin the last over, hit a boundary to emerge the hero for his team.

Earlier he put on 48 runs with Yuvraj Singh (25 off 21 balls with one six and three fours) for the second wicket and 69 runs in 48 balls with Dinesh Mongia (35 off 30 balls with 2 sixes and 1 four) for the third to keep up the run-rate.

Karnataka, without India skipper Rahul Dravid, who is to play his first match on Tuesday, owed their total to opener Devraj Patil (31 in 26 bals), Akhil (33 of 23 balls) and C Raghu (32 off 31 balls).

Brief Scores: Karnataka 142 for 7 (D Patil 31, D Chougule 20, B Akhil 33, C Raghu 32; L Abhilish 2 for 23) lost to Punjab 146 for 3 in 19.5 overs (R Ricky 76 not out, Yuvraj Singh 25, D Mongia 35).

RAILWAYS TROUNCE GUJARAT

Riding on a brilliant unbeaten half- century knock by Shreyas Khanolkar, Railways recorded an emphatic six-wicket victory over Gujarat in a Group A league match of the Inter State All-India Twenty20 Tournament at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday.

By virtue of this result, Central Zone winners Railways have got their campaign back on track after they had suffered defeat in their opening match on Sunday against Punjab.

Being put in, Gujarat once again let themselves down with a ordinary batting performance, managing just 115 for 9 against a disciplined Railways attack.

In pursuit of the modest target, Railways got off to a shaky start, losing two wickets by the fifth over before Khanolkar (66) completely shifted the momentum with some dazzling strokeplay.

Khanolkar's breezy knock that consumed just 33 balls, was studded with seven boundaries and four sixes as he and opener Amit Pagnis (25) put Railways on victory path by adding 62 runs for the third wicket.

Complimenting the fine work done by the bowlers, Railways backed it with an aggresive approach during the run-chase while reaching the target in just the 14th over.

Gujarat who had edged out Orissa in their opener, never managed to get things going against the Railways' Harvinder Singh, Sanjib Sanyal and left-arm spinner G Shankar Rao. The trio claimed two wickets each.

Brief Scores: Gujarat 115 for 9 in 20 overs (Bhavik Thakar 32 n.o, Parthiv Patel 31, Harvinder Singh 2 for 23, Sanjib Sanyal 2 for 36, G Shankar Rao 2 for 19) lost to Railways 117 for 4 in 13.4 overs (Shreyas Khanolkar 66 n.o, Amit Pagnis 25).