Rajasthan registered a tense one-run victory over Karnataka in a high-scoring encounter. Batting first, Rajasthan posted a formidable total of 201 for five in their 20 overs, driven by quick-fire 40s from Deepak Hooda, Kartik Sharma, and Mahipal Lomror. In response, Karnataka mounted a fierce chase but ultimately fell agonisingly short, finishing at 200 for eight. Karnataka's bowling effort was led by pacers Vidyadhar Patil and Vysakh Vijayakumar, who both claimed two wickets apiece.
Rajasthan edge Karnataka by 1 run
Karnataka's chase of 202 began poorly, with skipper Mayank Agarwal and KL Shrijith departing early, leaving the team struggling at 19 for two. The situation worsened when Devdutt Padikkal was dismissed for 32, making the score 51 for three. However, a strong partnership emerged between Karun Nair (51 off 32 balls) and R Smaran (48 not out off 31 balls), adding 82 runs to bring Karnataka back into contention at 133 for three in the 14.5th over. Unfortunately, the momentum quickly reversed as Karnataka lost four cheap wickets—Karun, Abhinav Manohar, Shreyas Gopal, and Praveen Dubey—sliding dramatically to 155 for seven in 17.3 overs. Compounding their woes, Smaran's timing deserted him at this crucial juncture, hindering the acceleration needed.
ALSO READ: BCCI takes action to resolve communication rift between senior players and Indian team management
The game found another twist thanks to a late-order assault from Vidyadhar Patil (27 off 8 balls, including three sixes and two fours), who used the long handle effectively to take Karnataka to 184 in 18.5 overs before falling to pacer Kamlesh Nagarkoti (3/52). With 15 runs required off the final over, a six by Vysakh Vijayakumar and a boundary by Smaran brought the equation down to just three runs needed off the last ball. However, Karnataka could only manage a solitary run, falling short by the narrowest of margins. Following this result, Rajasthan now sit second in Group D with 12 points from three matches, level with leaders Jharkhand but behind on net run-rate. Karnataka, meanwhile, have slipped to fifth place with just 4 points from three games.
Manan Vohra propels Chandigarh to win over Maharashtra
In an Elite Group B match, opener Manan Vohra delivered a match-winning performance, smashing a 48-ball 72 to guide Chandigarh to a five-wicket win over Maharashtra. Asked to bat first, Maharashtra struggled to post a competitive total, managing only 139 for seven in their 20 overs. Their effort was anchored by opener Arshin Kulkarni's 41-ball 47, with supporting contributions from Nikhil Naik (24) and Vicky Ostwal (28). Chandigarh’s bowling attack was well-rounded, with Sandeep Sharma leading the way with two wickets for just 18 runs, and Jagjit Singh, Nikhil Sharma, Rahul Singh, and Bhagmender Lather each chipping in with one wicket apiece.
Chasing a modest target, Chandigarh’s innings started shakily, as they were reduced to 43 for three in the 6.2 overs. However, Vohra, who hammered nine fours and two sixes in his effort, took charge of the innings and successfully anchored the chase. He established a crucial 55-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Nikhil Thakur (36), taking Chandigarh to 98 before Prashant Solanki broke the stand. Lather (13) then added valuable runs before being run out by Prithvi Shaw late in the 19th over.
Vohra remained the key figure, and along with Nikhil Sharma (5 not out), they completed the remaining formalities to secure the five-wicket victory with two balls to spare. For Maharashtra, the wickets were shared among their bowlers, with Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Jalaj Saxena, Vicky Ostwal, and Prashant Solanki each claiming one wicket.