Vishvaraj Jadeja delivered a masterclass for Saurashtra, smashing an unbeaten 165 off just 127 balls to power his team into Vijay Hazare Trophy final with a dominant nine-wicket victory over Punjab in the semifinal clash. Jadeja cracked his third century of the campaign featured 18 boundaries and three sixes, as Saurashtra set the stage for a high-stakes title decider on January 18 against Vidarbha, who defeated Karnataka in the first semifinal.
Saurashtra seal Vijay Hazare Trophy final spot after crushing Punjab
Chasing a target of 292, Saurashtra’s top order made the task look effortless. Vishvaraj Jadeja anchored the pursuit with two massive partnerships: a 172-run opening stand with captain Harvik Desai, who contributed a brisk 64, followed by an unbeaten 121-run association with Prerak Mankad. Given the trend of high-scoring matches throughout the tournament, Punjab’s sub-300 total offered little resistance, allowing Saurashtra to gallop to victory with more than 10 overs still remaining.
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Vishvaraj Jadeja tonks robust ton
The 27-year-old’s innings was characterized by impeccable control and strategic shot placement, largely dominating the areas square of the wicket. While he relied heavily on elegant punches and clips, his power was evident in the three sixes he pulled between fine-leg and mid-wicket. Although he was dropped on 120, the mistake proved inconsequential as the result was already a foregone conclusion, cementing Vishvaraj’s status as one of the standout performers of the season.
After being put in to bat, Punjab’s top order initially set a strong foundation, but their momentum was ultimately derailed by a collapse in the middle and lower orders. The team got off to a solid start with a 60-run opening stand, followed by a commanding 109-run partnership for the second wicket. Captain Prabhsimran Singh led the charge with a fluent 87, while Anmolpreet Singh anchored the innings with a well-crafted century.
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However, the innings fell apart rapidly in the latter stages. Punjab’s trouble began when they slipped from a comfortable 169 for one to 200 for four. Despite a minor recovery, the final implosion saw them lose their remaining six wickets for just 16 runs, collapsing from 275 for four to 291 all out.
Chetan Sakariya stands tall with perfect four-fer
Chetan Sakariya was the architect of this downfall, finishing with figures of 4 for 60. He provided the crucial breakthrough by dismissing Anmolpreet in the 47th over before ruthlessly cleaning up the tail. This clinical bowling performance proved decisive, as Saurashtra’s batters chased down the target a few hours later to secure their spot in the final.