Vidarbha Claims Historic Maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy Title
Atharva Taide played a knock of exceptional quality to headline Vidarbha's historic triumph in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. A composed batting effort backed by disciplined bowling sealed a comfortable 38-run victory over Saurashtra in the final on Sunday.
Taide's Masterclass Sets Up Commanding Total
Vidarbha laid a strong foundation with a commanding total of 317 for eight. They built this around Taide's superb 128 from 118 balls. His innings featured 15 boundaries and three sixes.
The left-hander produced a model one-day innings to put his side firmly in control. Not known for flamboyance, Taide relied on strength of purpose and smart shot selection. He quietly accumulated runs while working the field with precision.
As shadows lengthened at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, he picked gaps with ease. Taide mixed elegant cover drives with powerful hits over mid-wicket. Even when Saurashtra tightened their lines, led by Chetan Sakariya, he never looked hurried.
His ability to rotate strike ensured momentum never dipped. Taide reached his fifty off 66 balls, striking seven fours. He then shifted gears decisively. The next fifty came in just 31 deliveries and included five boundaries and two sixes. This underlined his complete control over the innings.
It marked his third List A century. Taide added 133 runs for the second wicket with Yash Rathod. Rathod played a lively supporting role with 54 from 61 balls. Vidarbha maintained a scoring rate in excess of six an over throughout this partnership.
Earlier, Taide had also featured in an 80-run opening stand with Aman Mokhade. Mokhade made 33 in a comparatively modest contribution. When Taide departed with the score at 213 for two, Vidarbha were already well placed.
The middle and lower order chipped in with useful runs to push the total beyond 300. This score ultimately proved more than enough for victory.
Saurashtra's Chase Falls Short Despite Gritty Resistance
The target proved beyond Saurashtra, who were eventually bowled out for 279 in 48.5 overs. They showed pockets of resistance but could not sustain the chase.
The chase never truly settled for Saurashtra. They lost two early wickets to slide to 30 for two. They were further pushed into trouble at 112 for four in the 23rd over.
Still, they refused to fold quietly. Prerak Mankad and Chirag Jani stitched together a gritty 93-run partnership for the fifth wicket. This briefly revived their hopes.
Mankad anchored the stand with a determined 88 from 92 balls. Jani contributed a fluent 64 off 63 deliveries. Their approach relied more on placement and patience than aggression.
Vidarbha's sloppy fielding during the middle overs helped prolong the contest. Missed chances proved costly. Mankad was dropped on 70 at mid-wicket off Harsh Dubey. Jani was reprieved on 14 at long-on off Parth Rekhade.
The resistance finally ended when Mankad was trapped in front while attempting to cut left-arm spinner Dubey. Dubey finished with figures of 1 for 59. Jani followed soon after, undone by pacer Darshan Nalkande. His mistimed stroke found Aman Mokhade near sweeper cover.
Vidarbha's Bowlers Seal the Victory
From there, Yash Thakur and Nachiket Bhute took charge. They shared seven wickets between them to close out the innings.
Thakur returned with impressive figures of 4 for 50. Bhute claimed 3 for 46. Their efforts sparked jubilant celebrations in the Vidarbha camp.
By the end of the night, Vidarbha were celebrating their maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy title. Their performance combined composure, resilience and timely execution perfectly.
The victory marks a significant milestone for Vidarbha cricket. It demonstrates their growing strength in domestic limited-overs competitions.
