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Haryana clinched their first-ever Vijay Hazare Trophy title by defeating Rajasthan by 30 runs at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on December 16, Saturday. This victory marked Haryana's first success in the tournament's history, while Rajasthan secured the runner-up position for the second time, the first being in the 2006-07 season.
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Opting to bat first, Haryana managed to set a challenging total of 287 runs for the loss of eight wickets. Opener Ankit Kumar played a crucial role after losing his partner Yuvraj Singh early in the innings. Kumar maintained his focus to score a pivotal 88 runs from 91 deliveries, including 12 fours and a six.
Haryana skipper Ashok Menaria, who was associated with Rajasthan team for 15 years and also captained them, anchored the middle order with a solid 70 runs off 96 balls, featuring eight boundaries. The significant 124-run partnership between Menaria and Kumar was instrumental in steering Haryana towards a commanding position.
Contributions also came from Rohit Pramod Sharma and Nishant Sindhu, who scored 20 and 29 runs respectively. However, the late surge by Rahul Tewatia and Sumit Kumar was key in pushing Haryana towards the 300-run threshold.
Rajasthan's bowling attack was led by Aniket Choudhary, who emerged as the most effective bowler, finishing with impressive figures of 10-1-49-4. Arafat Khan also took two wickets, albeit at a higher economy rate of 8.40."
Rajasthan faced significant challenges in their chase, stumbling to 12 for three in just 5.1 overs. Sumit Kumar played a pivotal role for Haryana, dismissing Raj Mohan Chouhan, Mahipal Lomror, and Deepak Hooda, giving his team an early advantage.
In response, Abhijeet Tomar and Karan Lamba steadied Rajasthan's innings with a crucial 68-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Following Lamba's dismissal for 20, Tomar and Kunal Singh Rathore combined forces to add a significant 121-run stand.
Rathore impressed with his batting, scoring a brisk 79 runs from 65 balls, including four boundaries and five sixes. Meanwhile, Tomar achieved a remarkable century, seemingly positioning Rajasthan for a potential win.
However, in a twist of fate, Tomar was dismissed by Harshal Patel, who delivered a vital breakthrough for Haryana. Tomar's innings ended at 106 runs off 129 balls, featuring 10 fours and two sixes.
Following Tomar's departure, Rajasthan's innings rapidly declined, and they were eventually all out for 257 in 48 overs. Along with Sumit's crucial wickets, Harshal also claimed three dismissals, playing a key role in Haryana's victory.
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