Vidarbha Clinches Historic Vijay Hazare Trophy Title
Atharva Taide ended a four-year wait for a List A century in spectacular fashion on Sunday. He chose the perfect stage to achieve this milestone. His brilliant knock of 128 runs laid the foundation for Vidarbha's maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy triumph. The team secured a memorable 38-run victory over Saurashtra in the final.
Taide and Rathod Build a Strong Foundation
Vidarbha posted a challenging total of 317 for 8 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Taide's century was the centerpiece of their innings. He found strong support from Yash Rathod, who scored a valuable 54 runs. Their partnership put Vidarbha in a commanding position.
Saurashtra's new-ball bowlers, Jaydev Unadkat and Chetan Sakariya, started well. They kept the Vidarbha openers quiet during the first nine overs. Taide broke the shackles with a wristy flick off Sakariya. The openers then looked to collect boundaries regularly, taking calculated risks against the bowling attack.
Ankur Panwar eventually broke the opening stand. He induced an edge from Aman Mokhade, who chopped the ball onto his stumps. Mokhade finished the tournament as the leading run-getter with 814 runs. His dismissal did not deter Vidarbha's momentum.
Middle Order Consolidates the Innings
With Dhruv Shorey sidelined due to injury, Yash Rathod was promoted up the order. He joined Taide at the crease, and the duo added 133 runs off just 112 deliveries. This aggressive partnership put Saurashtra under sustained pressure. It briefly made a total of 330-340 runs seem achievable for Vidarbha.
Taide eventually fell after miscuing a flick off Panwar. Prerak Mankad completed the catch at mid-on, ending Taide's magnificent innings. Despite his dismissal, Vidarbha had built a formidable total.
Saurashtra's Valiant Chase Falls Short
Saurashtra began their chase shakily, losing both openers within the first seven overs. However, Prerak Mankad played a fighting innings of 88 runs. He found a reliable partner in Chirag Jani, who scored a brisk 64 off 63 balls. Their 93-run stand for the fifth wicket threatened to undo Vidarbha's hard work.
Vidarbha sensed an opening in the 38th over. Mankad attempted a backfoot cut off Yash Dubey and was trapped leg before. This dismissal stalled Saurashtra's scoring rate. The pressure mounted on the batting side.
Jani then holed out to Aman Mokhade in the deep while trying to accelerate off Darshan Nalkande. His dismissal made the result inevitable for Saurashtra. The team was eventually bowled out for 279 in 48.5 overs.
Bowling Heroes Seal the Victory
Yash Thakur led Vidarbha's bowling effort with four crucial wickets. He claimed the final scalp of Chetan Sakariya to seal the victory. Nachiket Bhute provided excellent support, claiming three wickets. Darshan Nalkande finished with two wickets, contributing to a well-rounded bowling performance.
Ankur Panwar was the pick of Saurashtra's bowlers, taking four wickets for 65 runs. Despite his efforts, Vidarbha's total proved beyond Saurashtra's reach. The two-time champions fell short in their pursuit.
This victory marks a historic moment for Vidarbha in domestic cricket. The team displayed resilience and skill throughout the tournament, culminating in a well-deserved title win.
