With a near-record chase against the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy champions, Karnataka, who were tasked with chasing down a whopping 383 in their opening encounter of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, picked up a massive win over Mumbai. Karnataka opened their campaign with a commanding 7-wicket victory at the Narendra Modi Stadium B Ground in Ahmedabad, led by wicketkeeper Krishan Shrijith's amazing 150* off just 101 deliveries.
Karnataka's record chase
One run shy of Andhra Pradesh's 384-run chase against Goa in the 2011–12 season, this was the second-highest total ever chased down in a Vijay Hazare trophy game. In addition, it is the fifth-highest List A chase ever, with South Africa's famous and unforgettable chase of 435 against Australia in Johannesburg in 2005 continuing to serve as the benchmark.
Krishan's knock outshine Iyer's ton
Every batter made a substantial contribution to Karnataka's chase. Nikin Jose gave the innings a strong start even if he only managed to score 21. With a solid 47, captain Mayank Agarwal made sure his squad had a solid platform after seeing out the new balls. Then, KV Aneesh gave Karnataka the boost with the bat, smashing 82 against Mumbai's attack to keep them ahead of the asking rate. Alongside him at the crease, Shrijith scored at a rapid pace as well; his 150 included an incredible 20 fours and four maximums.
Praveen Dubey ensured that Karnataka stayed ahead of the asking rate even after Aneesh was removed and Mumbai returned to the game with 183 needed in 141 deliveries. With an undefeated 65 off 50 deliveries, the all-rounder gave Shrijith excellent support. In the end, Karnataka pulled down the total with 22 deliveries remaining, making Shrijith the star of the show.
Shivam Dube had also been at his best with his powerful hitting earlier in the day, and Shreyas Iyer had smashed an incredible 114* off just 55 deliveries. At the midway point, Mumbai probably would have felt they had enough runs on the board, but Karnataka maintained pressure on a bowling attack that was comparatively inexperienced to keep them competitive. Mumbai deployed up to eight bowlers that day, but their problems were made worse when their top bowler, Shardul Thakur, let up 72 runs in just six overs.
