Vijay Hazare Trophy: Karnataka win record 5th title after 36-run win over Vidarbha

Karnataka defeated Vidarbha by 36 runs in the 2024-25 edition final at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara to claim their record fifth Vijay Hazare Trophy title. R. Smaran hit his second List A hundred to help Karnataka post a daunting total of 348 for 6 in the title clash. Vidarbha opener Dhruv Shorey fought hard with his third successive hundred in the knockout stages but could not take his team over the line. The Karun Nair-led side was bowled out for 312, eventually losing by 36 runs.

Left-handed Smaran blazed his way to a 101 off 92 balls, while the relatively unknown keeper-batter Krishnan Srijith contributed a gritty 78 off 74 deliveries. T20 specialist Abhinav Manohar then delivered a late onslaught, hammering 79 off just 42 balls to propel Karnataka to an imposing 348 for 6 in 50 overs.

In response, Vidarbha, unbeaten through the group stage, struggled as most batters beyond the top three failed to make an impact. However, all-rounder Harsh Dubey injected late drama with a blistering 63 off 30 balls, smashing five sixes and as many fours, before Vidarbha were dismissed for 312 in 48.2 overs.

Mayank Agarwal lifted the trophy and urged his side to join him as they revel in front of the "Champions" hoarding. Mayank then carried the trophy to the centre, striking a few solo poses before the entire team assembled around him. "Feeling great, feels amazing to have won this after a while. It's just that we turned up, we won those crucial moments. Lot of the youngsters stepped up. We are a team in transition, four guys



from this team have made their debut and lot of them are just playing their second season. Lot of credit to them for stepping up," Mayank said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

"It's a very interesting period for Karnataka, lot of youngsters coming in with great skillsets and mentality. Unbelieveable to be part of this group and to have won the trophy. Was a game-changing partnership, we were 67/3, for them to play with that maturity and take the game deep and then for Abhinav Manohar to come in and play like that," Agarwal added.

Mayank Agarwal-led Karnataka finished the group stage with just one loss in seven matches. Karnataka then defeated Baroda and Haryana in the knockouts to book a title clash against Vidarbha, their first final in over five years. The 5-time champions then overcame the unbeaten Vidarbha to win the title. Karnataka first won the tournament in the 2013-14 season and successfully defended their title the following year. Their third title came in the 2017-18 season, with Agarwal leading the batting charts, while Padikkal emerged as the top run-scorer during Karnataka's fourth triumph in the 2019-20 season, defeating Tamil Nadu.

Alongside Karnataka, only Tamil Nadu (3), Mumbai (2), and Saurashtra (2) have claimed multiple titles during this period. Former Karnataka batter and Vidarbha captain Karun Nair emerged as the tournament's leading run-scorer, amassing 779 runs with five centuries and a fifty. Meanwhile, India and Punjab pacer Arshdeep Singh topped the bowling charts with 20 wickets.