Vidarbha won their first Vijay Hazare Trophy title on Sunday by beating Saurashtra by 38 runs at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Atharva Taide scored 128 runs off 118 balls to help his team post 317 for eight wickets before the bowlers defended the total, capping off a season that also featured several closely fought encounters, such as the Mumbai vs Karnataka Vijay Hazare Trophy clash
Saurashtra captain Harvik Desai won the toss and chose to bowl first in the day-night final. The decision looked good early, but Taide took control with his knock. He hit 15 fours and three sixes during his stay at the crease. This was his first List A hundred in five years.
Taide took his time at the start and reached 50 off 66 balls. He then changed gears and blasted his next 50 runs in just 31 deliveries. Yash Rathod stayed with him to add 133 runs for the third wicket in 18 overs. Rathod made 54 runs before getting out.
Aman Mokhade gave Vidarbha a good start with 33 off 45 balls. He and Taide put on 80 runs for the first wicket. Mokhade finished the tournament with 814 runs and won Player of the Series. Darshan Nalkande came in late and scored 13 of the 16 runs in the final over to push the total past 315.
Ankur Panwar took four wickets for 65 runs for Saurashtra. He was the highest wicket-taker of the season, but Taide hit him for 31 runs during his innings. Chetan Sakariya and other bowlers tried hard but could not stop Vidarbha from getting a big score, much like Delhi’s bowlers struggled in matches where big-name batters dominated, including the Delhi vs Gujarat Vijay Hazare Trophy game featuring Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant.
Saurashtra got off to a poor start and lost two wickets for 30 runs. Prerak Mankad and Chirag Jani then put together a fighting stand. Mankad scored 88 off 92 balls with 10 fours, while Jani made 64 off 63 balls with three fours and two sixes. The pair added 93 runs for the fifth wicket and brought the target within reach.
Vidarbha dropped both batters during their partnership. Mankad got a life when he was on 70, while Jani was dropped when he had only 14 runs. These mistakes nearly cost Vidarbha the match as Saurashtra came close to the target.
Harsh Dubey broke the partnership by getting Mankad out leg before wicket. This turned the match back in Vidarbha’s favor. Jani fell soon after when Saurashtra needed 68 runs with less than six overs left. The tail could not handle the pressure, and Saurashtra got bowled out for 279 in the 49th over.
Yash Thakur picked up four wickets for 50 runs to lead the bowling attack. Nachiket Bhute took three for 46 and kept the pressure on from one end. Captain Harsh Dubey got the key wicket of Mankad when it mattered most.
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This win gave Vidarbha its maiden white-ball trophy. They already won the Ranji Trophy before and now added the 50-over title. The team lost last year’s final to Karnataka, so this victory brought redemption. Vidarbha became a strong force in both red-ball and white-ball cricket.
Taide won Player of the Match for his match-winning knock. His century came at the right time after a long gap without a big score in List A games.
Saurashtra fought hard, but dropped chances and losing wickets at key moments cost them the trophy. Their bowlers did well to restrict Vidarbha below 320, but the target was still too much in the end. Mankad and Jani gave them hope, but ran out of support.
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