Saurashtra captain Harvik Desai led from the front, scoring an unbeaten century to guide his team into the Vijay Hazare Trophy semi-finals with a 17-run win over Uttar Pradesh in a rain-hit match at BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2, Bengaluru. The result was decided using the VJD method.
Uttar Pradesh's team
Uttar Pradesh, who were featuring without their in-form wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, posted a strong total of 310 for 8 after being asked to bat first. Jurel was unavailable after joining the Indian team following Rishabh Pant’s injury.
How Saurashtra won the clash?
When Saurashtra began their chase, they reached 238 for 3 in 40.1 overs before rain stopped play. With the VJD method applied, Saurashtra were declared winners.
Saurashtra's score when rain stopped play
When the rain stopped the play, Saurashtra needed 77 runs from the final 10 overs, with Desai well set at the crease. The skipper was unbeaten on 100 from 116 balls. He earlier put on a crucial 133-run stand for the second wicket with Prerak Mankad, who scored 67 off 66 balls.
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Desai then added another important stand of 76 runs with Chirag Jani, who remained not out on 40 from 31 balls. Desai’s innings included eight fours and two sixes; he played a major role in seeing Saurashtra through.
Uttar Pradesh's batting
Uttar Pradesh had topped Group B by winning all their league matches, while Saurashtra finished second in Group D with five wins from seven games.
For Uttar Pradesh, the absence of Dhruv Jurel, who scored 558 runs in seven innings during the league stage, was a setback. Still, openers Abhishek Goswami and Sameer Rizvi helped their side recover after early losses.
Goswami made a fluent 88 off 82 balls, hitting 12 fours. Rizvi scored 88 off 77 balls, striking 10 boundaries and two sixes. Rizvi also shared useful partnerships, adding 50 runs with Prashant Veer (30 off 31 balls) and 45 with Goswami. Captain Rinku Singh, however, managed only 13.
Priyam Garg added 35 runs in the middle order and put on 57 runs with Goswami for the third wicket after Uttar Pradesh lost two early wickets. Later, leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari chipped in with a quick 20 off 11 balls, helping the team cross the 300-run mark.
Uttar Pradesh had a shaky start, losing Aryan Juyal for zero with just 10 runs on the board. Rituraj Sharma also failed to make an impact, but the partnership between Goswami and Rizvi steadied the innings.
For Saurashtra, left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya was the standout bowler with figures of 3 for 54. Ankur Panwar and Prerak Mankad picked up two wickets each, though Panwar conceded 75 runs in his full 10 overs.