Karnataka become Vijay Hazare Trophy champions for record 5th time after toppling Karun Nair's Vidarbha by 36 runs in thrilling final

Mayank Agarwal's Karnataka notched their record fifth Vijay Hazare Trophy title after downing Karun Nair's Vidarbha by 36 runs in a thrilling final held at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on January 18. Notably, Karnataka have always ended up emerging champions whenever they have made it to the final

Karnataka win Vijay Hazare Trophy title

It was Ravichandran Smaran, who remained the match-winner for Karnataka as he played tonked his his second List A century to propel his team to a formidable total of 348 for 6 in the final. When the chips were down Smaran cracked a scintillating 101 off 92 riding on 7 fours and three sixes to steady Karnataka's boat. Abhinav Manohar played the second fiddle with a brilliant 79 off 42 down the order.

Chasing a formidable total, Vidarbha's opener Dhruv Shorey, put up a valiant fight with his third consecutive hundred in the knockout stages, but his efforts were not enough to guide his team to victory. Vidarbha, led by Karun Nair, were eventually bowled out for 312, resulting in a 36-run defeat. Shorey belted a magnificent 111-ball 110, which was decorated with 8 fours and two sixes. Vidarbha lost their hopes when they found themselves at a precarious position of 268/7. But then came Harsh Dube, who instilled hopes with a lightning 30-ball 63 but his efforts eventually went in vain and Vidarbha fell 36 runs short to lose the battle. 

Mayank Agarwal-led Karnataka enjoyed a successful group stage in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, suffering only one defeat in their seven matches. Their impressive run continued in the knockout stages, with victories over Baroda and Haryana securing their place in the final against Vidarbha. This marked Karnataka's first appearance in the final in over five years.

The five-time champions, Karnataka, successfully overcame the unbeaten Vidarbha to clinch the title. Their previous victories in the tournament came in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, showcasing their consistent dominance. In 2017-18, they secured their third title with Mayank Agarwal leading the batting charts. Their fourth triumph in 2019-20 saw Devdutt Padikkal emerge as the top run-scorer, as they defeated Tamil Nadu.

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Karnataka joins an elite group of teams with multiple Vijay Hazare Trophy titles, including Tamil Nadu (3), Mumbai (2), and Saurashtra (2).

Karun Nair's batting exploits in vain

Former Karnataka batter and Vidarbha captain Karun Nair emerged as the tournament's leading run-scorer, amassing a remarkable 779 runs with five centuries and a fifty. Meanwhile, India and Punjab pacer Arshdeep Singh topped the bowling charts with an impressive 20 wickets.

Mayank Agarwal lifted the trophy and encouraged his teammates to join him in celebrating their victory in front of the "Champions" hoarding. He then proudly carried the trophy to the center of the field, striking a few solo poses before the entire team gathered around him to share in the glory.