Mokhade's 5th ton powers Vidarbha into Vijay Hazare Trophy final with emphatic win over Karnataka

In a historic display of dominance Aman Mokhade hammered his fifth century of the season to lead Vidarbha to a convincing six-wicket victory over defending champions Karnataka at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. By chasing down a target of 281, Vidarbha not only secured their spot in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2026 final but also snapped a long-standing jinx, marking their first-ever win against Karnataka in the history of the tournament.

Vidarbha seals VHT final berth with robust win over Karnataka

Mokhade was the undisputed star of the chase, striking a brilliant 131 off 122 balls. Despite losing opening partner Atharva Taide early on, Mokhade anchored the innings with remarkable poise, battling through late-innings cramps and a high-pressure environment to reach his milestone in 101 deliveries. He was well-supported by Dhruv Shorey (47) in a 99-run second-wicket stand, before effectively sealing the result with a massive 147-run partnership alongside R Samarth, who finished unbeaten on 76 against his former team.

Vidarbha's victory was also set up by a stellar performance from pacer Darshan Nalkande, whose 5/48 dismantled Karnataka's momentum in the final overs. Karnataka's total of 280 was built on steady half-centuries from Karun Nair (76) and KL Shrijith (54), but they were hampered late in the game when pacer Vyshak Vijaykumar was forced to leave the field due to a concussion. Vyshak had been struck on the helmet by a Yash Thakur delivery earlier in the day, leaving the Karnataka bowling attack depleted during the critical middle-over stretch.

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With this landmark win, Vidarbha advances to the title round on Sunday, January 18. They will face the winner of the second semifinal between Punjab and Saurashtra, which is scheduled to take place on Friday.

Aman Mokhade cracks another century in Vidarbha's winning cause

Aman Mokhade reached his monumental century in style, flicking pacer Vidyadhar Patil for a boundary to spark a spirited celebration. The 24-year-old right-hander continued to anchor the chase until the closing stages, when fatigue finally set in. Attempting a tired swipe off Patil, he was caught by Devdutt Padikkal inside the circle for 131. Despite his departure, Mokhade had already done the heavy lifting, placing the victory well beyond Karnataka’s reach.

Karnataka’s earlier batting performance was a turbulent affair, marked by significant fluctuations in momentum. Their innings began under heavy pressure, yielding a mere 33 runs in the opening 10 overs. During this sluggish start, they lost both star openers; Mayank Agarwal was trapped LBW by Nachiket Bhute, while Devdutt Padikkal fell to a spectacular delivery from Yash Thakur that nipped away late to find the outside edge.

Darshan Nalkande burns bright with fiery fifer

A necessary recovery began through Karun Nair and Dhruv Prabhakar—a late addition to the lineup following a shoulder injury to R Smaran. The duo provided much-needed stability with a 54-run partnership for the third wicket. Prabhakar appeared to be finding his rhythm until Darshan Nalkande intervened with a sharp short ball; the extra pace hurried Prabhakar’s pull shot, resulting in a catch at square leg by Dhruv Shorey.

The middle-order resurgence for Karnataka was led by a solid 113-run partnership for the fourth wicket between veteran Karun Nair and the more aggressive KL Shrijith. While Nair initially struggled to find his timing, he showed great grit to anchor the innings and support his younger partner. He occasionally flashed his trademark skill, notably ramping Yash Thakur for a boundary, though he benefited from a lucky break when Yash Rathod caught him outside the ropes. Once the 34-year-old reached his half-century off 73 balls, he looked visibly more comfortable at the crease.

As the innings progressed, both batters shifted gears to put the Vidarbha bowlers under pressure. Shrijith reached his own fifty in just 54 deliveries, sparking a period of rapid scoring where 31 runs were looted across just three overs. However, Vidarbha managed to strike back at a critical juncture; Darshan Nalkande broke the century stand by dismissing Nair, and Shrijith followed him back to the pavilion just six runs later. This quick double-blow saw Karnataka slide from a position of strength to 193 for five.

In the final stages, Shreyas Gopal (36) and Abhinav Manohar (26) attempted to salvage the total with a brisk 55-run alliance for the sixth wicket. Despite their efforts to provide a late-innings boost, the home side was unable to sustain the momentum. A flurry of wickets at the backend of the innings meant Karnataka fell short of a truly imposing score, leaving their total at a competitive but ultimately reachable 280.