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Karnataka claimed the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024/25 title with a convincing 36-run victory over Vidarbha in a high-scoring final at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara. Batting first, Karnataka posted a mammoth 348/6, thanks to Ravichandran Smaran‘s commanding 101 off 92 balls and quick-fire contributions from Abhinav Manohar (79 off 42) and Krishnan Shrijith (78 off 74).
Despite a valiant 110 off 111 balls by Vidarbha opener Dhruv Shorey and Harsh Dubey‘s explosive 63 off 30 balls in the latter stages, Vidarbha fell short, getting bowled out for 312 in 48.2 overs. Karnataka’s Vasuki Koushik, Prasidh Krishna and Abhilash Shetty shared three wickets each, ensuring their team secured the silverware. Smaran was awarded Player of the Match for his decisive century, while Vidarbha skipper Karun Nair, with a tꦚournament-topping 779 runs, was named Player of the Series.
Karnataka’s stellar batting in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 final
Karnataka’s innings was a masterclass in constructing a high total under pressure in a final. After a shaky start where they lost Devdutt Padikkal and KV Aneesh cheaply, Smaran anchored the innings with a magnificent 101 off 92 balls, blending aggression and control. His partnerships with Shrijith (160-run stand) and later with Manohar were pivotal. Shrijith’s steady 78 off 74 balls set a solid base, but it was Manohar’s breathtaking 79 off 42 balls, laced with 10 fours and 4 sixes, that propelled Karnataka past 340. Their innings saw multiple milestones, with Smaran and Shrijith reaching fifties in quick succession before Smaran completed a century. Vidarbha’s bowlers, despite taking six wickets, struggled with consistency as Nachiket Bhute and Darshan Nalkande were expensive, ♛conceding 67 and 68 runs respectively.
Vidarbha’s fightback led by Dhruv Shorey and Harsh Dubey
Vidarbha’s chase began with promise, thanks to an elegant knock by Shorey. Opening the innings, Shorey showcased his class with a fluent 110 off 111 balls, combining textbook strokes with intelligent strike rotation. However, he lacked substantial support from the middle order. Captain Nair and Yash Rathod made brief contributions, but regular wickets derailed the chase. The late surge came from Dubey, who smashed 63 off just 30 balls, keeping Vidarbha’s hopes alive with powerful sixes and boundaries. Despite their valiant efforts, Vidarbha’s innings collapsed under pressure, with three wickets falling in the space of 10 runs towards the end. Karnataka’s bowlers, especially Koushik and Shetty, ensured there was no miracle by maintaining tight lines in the death overs.
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Karnataka’s bowling brilliance under pressure
Defending 349, Karnataka’s bowlers showed resilience and tactical awareness on a batting-friendly pitch. Koushik led the attack with figures of 3/47 in his 10 overs, using variations effectively to trouble the batters. Krishna, though expensive with 84 runs in his quota, provided crucial breakthroughs, including the dismissal of Vidarbha’s captain Nair. Shetty was instrumental with three wickets, including the prized scalps of Shorey and Dubey at critical junctures. Shreyas Gopal offered control in the middle overs, conceding just 55 runs in his 10 overs despite going wicketless. Kꩵarnataka’s fielding was sharp, with key catches and a run-out ensuring Vidarbha never gained complete momentum. Their ability to maintain composure in the death overs sealed a memorable title victory.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Congratulations to Karnataka for being crowned the champions. With 5 finals and 5 titles, they’ve set a benchmark of excellence in Indian cricket. A༒ well-deserved victory, defeating Vidarbha by 36 runs. Proud of their r💞elentless spirit and dedication!
— P C Mohan (@PCMohanMP)
Champions again!
𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗮 defeats Vidarbha to lift 𝗧𝗵𝗲 and beco♓me cha꧟mpions for the 5th time! 
Kudos to the wonderful team, and congratulations K🐻ar♒nataka 🎉
— DK Suresh (@DKSureshINC)
What a thrilling final. Fantastic batting ꧒by Smaran Ravichandran. Also, good show of batting by Harsh Dubey of Vidarbha, almost 😅 gave a heart🀅 at the end. Nice record for Karnataka 5/5 VH trophy final wins.
— ರೋಹಿತ್ ಕೆ ವಿ ಎನ್ | Rohit KVN (@kvnrohit)
ವಿಜಯ್ ಹಜಾರೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ವಿಜಯೋತ್ಸವ! 🏆
The winning moment as♑ Karnataka clinches the for the 5️⃣th time! 🤩
Congratulations to Devdutt Padikkal and Team Karnataka on this proud achievement! 👏
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets)
A journey of spin to win! 🌪️
Congrats, Shreyas on winning the Vijay Ha🌄zare Trophy! 👏🏻🥳— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL)
Congratulations to Karnataka on winning the Vijay Hazare Trophy! A phenomenal team effort and a well-deserved vic🎃tory. Proud of the boys💎 for making us all proud. 🚩
ನಮ್ಮ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ, ನಮ್ಮ ಹೆಮ್ಮೆ! 💙
— Robbie Uthappa (@robbieuthappa)
Congratulations, Team Karnataka! Anothe꧅r Vijay Hazare Trophy for Karnataka. Well done, guys!
— Satish Acharya (@satishacharya)
Congratulatioඣns t🐲o our power-hitter Abhinav and team Karnataka 👏 |
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers)
Vijay Hazare Trophy Champions again! 🟡🔴🏆
ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ꩵಕ್ರಿಕೆಟ್ ತಂಡಕ್ಕೆ ಹೃತ್ಪೂರ್ವಕ ಅಭಿನಂದನೆಗಳು!𝓰👏
Image credits:
— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc)
Champion feeling 😍😍
— Mayank Agarwal (@mayankcricket)
