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NEW DELHI: Vidarbha stormed into the Ranji Trophy semifinals with an emphatic 128-run triumph over Karnataka, led by stellar performances from Harsh Dubey and Aditya Sarwate on Tuesday.
In a memorable encounter at the VCA Stadium in Civil Lines, Vidarbha showcased remarkable resilience, staging a remarkable comeback on the final day to derail Karnataka’s chase with a flurry of wickets.
Despite a strong start from Karnataka, who ended the fourth day at 103 for one, the hosts bounced back brilliantly on the fifth day, orchestrating a spectacular batting collapse to seize control of the match.
Facing a daunting target of 371 runs for victory, Karnataka’s hopes were dashed as Dubey and Sarwate wreaked havoc, dismantling their batting lineup with precision.
Within the first hour of play, Karnataka lost pivotal wickets, including that of skipper Mayank Agarwal (70), Nikin Jose (0), and Manish Pandey (1), as Sarwate made crucial breakthroughs.
Aneesh KV’s resistance was brief, as his promising innings of 40 came to an end, dealing a severe blow to Karnataka’s aspirations.
Despite a brief partnership between Aneesh and Hardik Raj (13), Dubey’s relentless bowling ensured further setbacks for Karnataka, clinching vital wickets to seal Vidarbha’s victory.
In a last-ditch effort, Vijay Kumar Vyshak (34) and Vidwath Kaverappa (25) attempted to delay the inevitable, but Dubey’s brilliance proved too much to overcome.
Ultimately, Karnataka’s valiant efforts fell short as they were bowled out for 243, thus conceding defeat and crashing out of the semifinal race.
With this resounding victory, Vidarbha joins Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the semifinal round of the Ranji Trophy.
Aditya Sarwate’s exceptional performance, comprising seven wickets in the match, earned him the well-deserved title of Player of the Match.
Brief Scores:
Vidarbha: 460 & 196
Karnataka: 286 & 243 in 62.4 overs (R Samarth 40, Mayank Agarwal 70, Aneesh KV 40; Harsh Dubey 4/65, Aditya Sarwate 4/78)
Result: Vidarbha won by 128 runs.
(With inputs from PTI)



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