Karnataka stormed into the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-2025 final with a convincing five-wicket win over Haryana in the semifinal clash, thanks to Devdutt Padikkal and Ravichandran Smaran exceptional batting. Devdutt Padikkal and Ravichandran Smaran combined together to notch a match-winning partnership and guided Karnataka to their fifth final appearance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy history.
Devdutt Padikkal, Ravichandran Ashwin's fifties take Karnataka to VHT final
The chase began on a shaky note with the early dismissal of captain Mayank Agarwal (0). However, Padikkal and Smaran steadied Karnataka's ship with a crucial 128-run partnership for the third wicket, overcoming the jolty start which left Karnataka teetering at 4/1. Despite a sluggish pitch and inconsistent bounce, which affected KV Aneesh's rhythm (22), Padikkal and Smaran adapted well, ensuring a comfortable victory for Karnataka in 47.2 overs.
Devdutt Padikkal (86), who was bought by RCB for Rs 2 crore in IPL 2025 auction, played a well calculated knock and built his innings with precision. He prioritised risk-free shots, accumulating runs with intelligent placement. Padikkal effectively countered the spinners by playing the ball late, steering the ball through the point and fine leg regions with finesse. While cautious, he wasn't hesitant to attack when opportunities arose, as demonstrated by his powerful six off Nishant Sindhu over mid-wicket.
Ravichandran Smaran (76), initially cautious, gradually gained confidence after reaching his fifty. This newfound confidence was evident in his aggressive shots, including sixes off spinners Sindhu and Amit Rana. Although both Padikkal and Smaran were dismissed – Padikkal while attempting to accelerate the chase, and Smaran clean bowled by the off-spinner – Karnataka had already built a strong foundation, requiring only 13 runs for victory at that stage.
Karnataka's bowlers, led by left-arm pacer Abhilash Shetty (4/34), effectively restricted Haryana's scoring. Shetty received crucial support from leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal (2/36) and pacer Prasidh Krishna (2/40). While Himanshu Rana (44) and captain Ankit Kumar (48) provided some stability with a 70-run partnership for the second wicket, Haryana struggled to build on this momentum. A late 39-run partnership for the tenth wicket between Anuj Thakral and Amit Rana helped Haryana reach a respectable 237 for nine.
This hard-fought victory secured Karnataka's place in the Vijay Hazare Trophy final. They now eagerly await their opponent, the winner of the other semifinal between Vidarbha and Maharashtra.