Another Vijay Hazare Trophy quarter-final turned out to be a one-sided affair as Saurashtra won the match by seven wickets with 20.1 overs left in the innings. Faiz Fazal-led Vidarbha were never in the game as they posted a total as low as 150 at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur.
Early collapse
After being put to bat first, Vidarbha got off to the worst possible start. While Fazal tried to survive the new ball, three Vidarbha top-order batters departed after scoring one run each. Saurashtra skipper Unadkat started the batting collapse with two quick wickets of opener Atharva Taide and Ganesh Satish with the new ball. Another left-arm pacer, Chetan Sakariya got the wicket with the new ball removing Yash Rathod as Vidarbha found themselves struggling at 9/3 in 7.5 overs.
Wankhade's lone effort
The fourth-wicket partnership between Fazal and wicketkeeper Akshay Wadkar showed promise but the latter got out after scoring 18 runs from 31 deliveries. With just one boundary in the first 20 overs, Fazal was struggling to score and lost his wicket for a score of 23 after facing 59 deliveries. Apoorv Wankhade turned out to be the lone warrior in the Vidarbha side saving them from getting bundled out below 100. While everyone struggled to score, Wankhade took the counter-attack approach and hit five fours and as many sixes in his 72-run knock of 69 deliveries. He was the ninth batter to fall and two balls later in the 41st over Vidarbha were bundled out for a disappointing first innings total of 150.
Early wickets but easy chase
Chasing a total of 151, Saurashtra did not get off to a great start either. Opener Vishvaraj Jadeja got out for an eight-ball duck whereas Harvik Desai scored just nine runs from 11 deliveries. Wicketkeeper-batter Sheldon Jackson too got out after adding 15 runs to the scoreboard as Saurashtra found themselves struggling for 35/3 in the 10th over. Prerak Mankad and Arpit Vasavda ensured that there was smooth sailing thereafter. Mankad remained unbeaten on 77 off 72 deliveries including 10 fours and two sixes. He shared an unbeaten 118-run stand for the fourth wicket with Arpit Vasavada playing a patient knock of 41 off 66 deliveries.
Saurashtra will now face Tamil Nadu in the second semi-final fixture on December 24 at KL Saini Ground, Jaipur.
