Karnataka Vs Vidarbha Match Report
In a thrilling and tough encounter, Karnataka defeated Vidarbha by 36 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024–25 final, which took place on January 18 at Vadodara’s Kotambi Stadium. The surface provided a fair match for both teams, and the day was characterized by a fierce duel between bowlers and batsmen.
With This Karnataka wins record fifth title in VHT 2024-25 season.
After losing the toss, Karnataka decided to bat first and established a commanding 348 for 6 in their 50 overs. Mayank Agarwal started the innings, but Smaran Ravichandran’s incredible century—101 off 92 balls—with seven fours and three sixes laced throughout his knock was the innings’ mainstay. A strong foundation was established by his combination with Krishnan Shrijith, who amassed a quick 78 off 74 balls. But Abhinav Manohar’s scorching 79 off only 42 balls—which included four sixes and 10 fours—was what really got Karnataka to their impressive total. This effort was essential since it gave the innings the boost it needed in the last few minutes, making Vidarbha’s target difficult to meet.
Dhruv Shorey, who combined caution and aggression in a long innings to score 110 off 111 deliveries, anchored Vidarbha’s chase. Since it was his third straight century in the tournament, his century was very notable. Jitesh Sharma provided support with an impressive 34 off 43 balls, but the team found it difficult to meet the necessary run rate. The game saw a turning point when Vidarbha skipper Karun Nair, who had been in outstanding form throughout the competition, was removed by Prasidh Krishna after managing just 27 runs.
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Due in major part to Karnataka’s disciplined speed and spin bowling, the middle overs of the Vidarbha innings collapsed. While Prasidh Krishna and Vasuki Koushik contributed vital wickets, Abhilash Shetty was especially productive, finishing with figures of 3 for 58. As Vidarbha lost wickets frequently and players like Shubham Dubey, Yash Rathod, and Yash Kadam failed to contribute significantly, the pressure increased.
Vidarbha needed an unlikely 37 runs from the final over to win, so the game came down to the wire. Their innings ended at 312 for 10 in 48.2 overs, despite a late burst from Harsh Dubey, who struck a fast 63. Karnataka’s success was cemented with the last wicket, a catch by substitute Praveen Dubey off Abhilash Shetty, demonstrating their better strategy and performance under duress.
This game demonstrated both teams’ tactical prowess in addition to individual batting and bowling genius. This victory demonstrated Karnataka’s reliability and capacity to perform well under final pressure. Even though the outcome was disappointing, Vidarbha saw the event as a chance for players like Shorey and Nair to show off their skills and create exciting opportunities for future games.
