Vidarbha and Punjab Secure Semi-Final Spots in Vijay Hazare Trophy
Vidarbha Triumphs Over Delhi to Reach Semi-Finals
Vidarbha, last season's finalists, advanced to the semi-finals of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy by defeating Delhi by 76 runs at Bengaluru's Centre of Excellence on Tuesday, thanks to outstanding performances from bowlers Nachiket Bhute and Harsh Dubey.
Vidarbha's Batting Performance
Delhi opted to field first after winning the toss. Aman Mokhade, who had been in excellent form, managed only 31 runs before being dismissed by Navdeep Saini. Atharva Taide contributed significantly with 62 runs off 72 balls, while Dhruv Shorey added 49 runs. Their partnership of 90 runs for the second wicket was broken by Ishant Sharma. Vidarbha found themselves at 173/4 in 33.5 overs, but a crucial fifth-wicket partnership of 57 runs between Yash Rathod, who scored 86 runs off 73 balls, helped the team surpass the 200-run mark. Ultimately, Vidarbha finished their innings at 300/9 in 50 overs, with notable bowling performances from Ishant (2/47), Prince Yadav (2/59), Navdeep Saini (2/68), and Nitish Rana (2/19).
Delhi's Struggle in the Chase
In pursuit of 301 runs, Delhi faltered early, collapsing to 80/4. Bhute (4/51) and Dubey (3/36) took key wickets, including Priyansh Arya and Nitish Rana. Anuj Rawat's 66 runs off 98 balls and Harsh Tyagi's 27 runs provided a brief glimmer of hope with a 55-run partnership for the seventh wicket, but Delhi was ultimately bowled out for 224 runs in 45.1 overs.
Punjab Dominates Madhya Pradesh to Secure Semi-Final Spot
Earlier in the day, Punjab secured their place in the semi-finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy with a commanding 183-run victory over Madhya Pradesh in Bengaluru.
Madhya Pradesh's Batting Collapse
Chasing a daunting target of 347 runs, Madhya Pradesh was dismissed for just 162 runs in 31.2 overs. Sanvir Singh was the standout bowler for Punjab, achieving figures of 3/31. The innings began poorly for Madhya Pradesh, losing wickets consistently. Opener Yash Dubey was dismissed for 3, followed by Himanshu Mantri for 18. Shubham Sharma managed 24 runs before falling to Sanvir Singh, who also took the crucial wicket of captain Venkatesh Iyer for a duck. The team struggled at 66/5, and despite Rajat Patidar's 38 runs, they crumbled to 162 all out.
Punjab's Strong Innings
Batting first, Punjab set a formidable total of 345/6 in their 50 overs. The opening partnership between Harnoor Singh (51 runs off 71 balls) and Prabhsimran Singh (88 runs off 86 balls) was pivotal, as they added 116 runs together. Anmolpreet Singh contributed a brisk 70 runs off 62 balls, while Nehal Wadhera's explosive 56 runs off just 38 balls propelled Punjab's total. Despite losing wickets towards the end, Punjab's disciplined batting ensured they set a challenging target for Madhya Pradesh.