Indore: Karnataka virtually assured themselves a place in the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy cricket tournament after setting a near impossible 683 runs target in front of Assam in their second innings on the fourth and penultimate day of the quarterfinal tie, here yesterday.

Resuming their second innings at the overnight score of 137 for two, Karanataka rode on opener Ravikumar Samarth's (178) second first-class century, Robin Uthappa's 77 off 172 balls and Karun Nair's 49 to post 415 for five in 115 overs before declaring their second innings, thereby setting an improbable target of 683 runs in front of Assam for an outright win.