Grey clouds dominated the sky above the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Monday. The weather created a somber atmosphere for the Vijay Hazare Trophy quarterfinal clash between Karnataka and Mumbai. However, the home team brought all the brightness to the field with a commanding performance.
Karnataka's Dominant Display
Karnataka delivered a comprehensive all-round effort to defend their championship title. They stormed into the semifinals with a convincing 55-run victory over Mumbai. The win came via the VJD method after weather interruptions affected play.
Bowling Restricts Mumbai
The Karnataka bowlers set the tone early with disciplined bowling. They restricted Mumbai to 254 runs for 8 wickets in their full 50 overs. Vidyadhar Patil claimed three crucial wickets for 42 runs. Vijaykumar Vyshak and Vasuki Koushik also contributed with economical spells that kept the pressure on Mumbai's batting lineup.
Batting Partnership Shines
Despite losing captain Mayank Agarwal early for just 12 runs, Karnataka's response was emphatic. Devdutt Padikkal and Karun Nair formed an unbeaten partnership that took the game away from Mumbai. Padikkal remained not out on 81 runs from 95 deliveries, striking 11 boundaries. Nair supported brilliantly with 74 runs from 80 balls, also hitting 11 fours.
The pair guided Karnataka to 187 runs for the loss of just one wicket in 33 overs. Bad light stopped play at 4:20 PM, followed by drizzle that prevented further action. At that stage, Karnataka stood comfortably ahead of the par score of 132 runs required under the VJD method.
Other Quarterfinal Action
On the adjoining ground at the same venue, Saurashtra also secured their place in the semifinals. They edged past Uttar Pradesh by 17 runs in another weather-affected match. Uttar Pradesh posted 310 runs for 8 wickets in their 50 overs. Saurashtra reached 238 runs for 3 wickets in 41 overs when play stopped, comfortably ahead on the VJD par score.
Match Summaries
Mumbai vs Karnataka: Mumbai 254/8 in 50 overs (Shams Mulani 86, Vidyadhar Patil 3-42, Vijaykumar Vyshak 2-43) lost to Karnataka 187/1 in 33 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 81*, Karun Nair 74*) by 55 runs via VJD method.
Uttar Pradesh vs Saurashtra: Uttar Pradesh 310/8 in 50 overs (Aryan Goswami 88, Sameer Rizvi 88*, Chetan Sakariya 3-54) lost to Saurashtra 238/3 in 41 overs (Harvik Desai 100*, Prerak Mankad 67) by 17 runs via VJD method.
The victories set up exciting semifinal clashes in the prestigious domestic one-day tournament. Karnataka will look to continue their strong form as they defend their Vijay Hazare Trophy championship.
