Bengaluru: Aman Mokhade delivered a standout performance, securing a match-winning century as Vidarbha defeated defending champions Karnataka to advance to their second consecutive Vijay Hazare Trophy final. The team will face either Saurashtra or Punjab in the championship match scheduled for Sunday in Bengaluru.
Mokhade played a pivotal role in Vidarbha’s pursuit of a target of 281 runs, scoring 138 runs, marking his fifth List A century of the season. This innings propelled him ahead of Devdutt Padikkal to become the tournament’s leading run-scorer with a total of 725 runs. By the time he was dismissed while attempting a shot over point, Vidarbha required just 27 runs for victory. R Samarth concluded the match with a sleek on-drive, remaining unbeaten on 76 as Vidarbha successfully chased down the target with 22 balls to spare.
Mokhade’s innings unfolded in two phases. He began cautiously against the new ball, aware that conditions might favor scoring later due to dew. After the 30-over mark, with eight wickets still intact and the required run rate approaching seven runs per over, the scoring accelerated.
Upon reaching 96, Mokhade presented a half-chance when a top-edged pull fell between Karun Nair and Abhinav Manohar, narrowly avoiding a collision. Two deliveries later, he executed a leg glance to the boundary to secure his century, celebrating by thumping his bat on the ground and positioning his helmet on the handle, earning applause from the Vidarbha dugout.
At the opposite end, Samarth contributed significantly with a calculated half-century, forming a 147-run partnership for the third wicket with Mokhade.
Karnataka’s Innings – A Summary
Batting first, Karnataka faced early setbacks, losing openers Mayank Agarwal and Padikkal. Padikkal struggled against Yash Thakur, taking 18 balls to score before getting dismissed. Nair and Dhruv Prabhakar managed to add 54 runs, followed by a century partnership between Shrijith and Nair. Darshan Nalkande excelled with figures of 5 for 48, while Vyshak Vijaykumar was ruled out due to a delayed concussion and was replaced by Manvanth Kumar.
The presence of dew proved detrimental to Shreyas Gopal’s leg-spin bowling, as he conceded 55 runs in eight wicketless overs. Mokhade’s outstanding performance left Vidarbha one step away from clinching their first-ever Vijay Hazare Trophy.
