Defending champions Karnataka secured a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Kerala in their second Group A fixture of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-2026, fueled by twin centuries.
Devdutt Padikkal, Karun Nair smash tons in Karnataka's win over Kerala
After electing to field, Karnataka’s bowlers, led by Abhilash Shetty (3/59) and Shreyas Gopal (2/61), restricted Kerala to 284/7. While Kerala struggled early at 49/3, aggressive half-centuries from Mohammed Azharuddeen (84 off 58) and Baba Aparajith (71 off 62) provided much-needed momentum to their innings.
The chase was defined by a massive 223-run second-wicket partnership between Devdutt Padikkal and Karun Nair. Despite losing captain Mayank Agarwal early, Padikkal notched his second consecutive century of the tournament, while Nair played a masterful run-a-ball knock to anchor the innings. Their dominant performance allowed the titleholders to reach the target with ease in 48.2 overs.
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Madhya Pradesh edge past Tamil Nadu
In the same group, Madhya Pradesh claimed the top spot in the standings after a thrilling two-wicket win over Tamil Nadu. Batting first, Tamil Nadu posted 280 runs behind solid opening stands from Sai Sudharsan (51) and Narayan Jagadeesan (55), followed by contributions from Mohamed Ali and Sunny Sandhu. However, the Madhya Pradesh bowling trio of Kumar Kartikeya, Tripuresh Singh, and Mangesh Yadav kept the pressure on by sharing seven wickets.
The match went down to the wire, but Madhya Pradesh managed to cross the finish line to secure their second win in as many games. This result leaves them as the early pace-setters in Group A, while Tamil Nadu will be looking to bounce back in their next fixture.
In their chase against Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh relied on a dominant 178-run second-wicket stand between Yash Dubey and wicket-keeper Himanshu Mantri. Dubey anchored the innings with a composed 92 off 109 balls, while Mantri provided the aggression with a brisk 94-ball 90. Despite a late flurry of wickets, Madhya Pradesh held their nerve to reach 283/8, clinching the victory with just four deliveries remaining.
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Meanwhile, Tripura earned their first points of the tournament with a clinical seven-wicket win over Puducherry. After dismissing Puducherry for a modest 150, Tripura’s top order made quick work of the chase. Captain Udiyan Bose led from the front with a half-century, while the experienced Vijay Shankar remained unbeaten on 47 to guide his team home in just 32.3 overs.