article by Suvankar Roy
The first knockout stage of the Vijay Hazare Trophy reached a dramatic and heart-wrenching conclusion today. On January 12th, two high-stakes quarter-final clashes took place: Uttar Pradesh vs. Saurashtra and Mumbai vs. Karnataka. While the cricket was intense, it was the unpredictable weather that ultimately decided the fate of the heavyweights.
Saurashtra Edge Out UP in Rain-Marred Thriller
In the clash between Uttar Pradesh and Saurashtra, Saurashtra won the toss and elected to field. UP’s innings was anchored by a brilliant performance from opener Abhishek Goswami, who smashed a commanding 88. While his partner Aryan Juyal fell for a duck, Priyam Garg showed promise with a quick 35 before heading back to the pavilion.
Captain Rinku Singh had a rare off-day with the bat, but the middle order found a spark in Samir Rizvi, who also contributed a vital 88. A late-innings cameo by tail-ender Zishan Ansari—scoring 20 off just 11 balls—pushed UP to a formidable total of 310/8 in their 50 over allotment. Chetan Sakariya was the pick of the bowlers for Saurashtra, claiming three wickets.
In response, Saurashtra faced an early setback losing Vishvaraj Jadeja for just 9. However, Harvik Desai played a masterclass, anchoring the chase with a magnificent unbeaten century. He was ably supported by Prerak Mankad, who scored a gritty 67, and Chirag Jani, who remained unbeaten on 40.
Saurashtra reached 238/3 in 40.1 overs before a heavy downpour at the BCCI Centre of Excellence halted play permanently. With the match unable to resume, Saurashtra was declared winners by 17 runs via the DLS method, resulting in a heartbreaking exit for group toppers Uttar Pradesh.
Karnataka Cruise Past Mumbai to Reach Semis
In the other quarter-final, Karnataka invited Mumbai to bat first after winning the toss. Mumbai’s top order struggled to find their footing on a challenging surface. Once again, it was Sams Mulani who rose to the occasion under pressure, top-scoring for Mumbai with a resilient 86. Captain Siddhesh Lad added a useful 38, guiding Mumbai to a total of 254/8 in 50 overs. Vidyadhar Patil stood out for Karnataka, picking up three wickets.
The chase for 255 saw an early exit for the veteran Mayank Agarwal (12), but that was the only celebration for Mumbai. The in-form Devdutt Padikkal continued his dream run, remaining unbeaten on 81, while the experienced Karun Nair looked effortless in his 74 not out.
Karnataka reached 187/1 in 33 overs before rain interrupted play at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. As the rain persisted, the DLS calculations came into play, and Karnataka was declared the winner by a massive 55-run margin. With this victory, Karnataka comfortably secured their spot in the semi-finals.