Adopting contrasting styles, an irrepressible Mayank Agarwal and a methodical R. Samarth smashed centuries to take Karnataka past a hapless Hyderabad en route to the semifinal of the Vijay Hazare Trophy here.
If Karnataka effectively batted Hyderabad out of the contest at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground, Maharashtra was clinical in its domination of a struggling Mumbai at the Air Force ground, Palam, on Wednesday.
Karnataka won by 103 runs and Maharashtra cruised to a seven-wicket triumph to set up the first semifinal on Saturday.
Once Karnataka opted to bat on a firm, batting-friendly strip, Hyderabad was only trying to catch up in what turned out to be a one-sided match.
Karnataka’s 348 for nine – built on Agarwal’s 111-ball 140 (12x4, 7x6) and Samarth’s 124-ball 125 (13x4) was intimidating. The second-wicket stand of 242 runs off just 34.1 overs pushed Hyderabad to the brink of desperation. Though Karnataka’s bid to accelerate in the last seven overs produced only 44 runs for the loss of seven wickets – with Mohammad Siraj taking five wickets – Hyderabad knew it was too little, too late.
Playing like a man possessed, Agarwal continued his form to score his third century of the competition this season. He stroked the ball well, found the gaps almost at will and smashed sixes, mostly in front of the wicket. He reached his century, off 83 deliveries, with a six over mid-wicket. He was out when looking for his eighth six.
Samarth, though less flamboyant than Agarwal, played some delectable cuts past the point region, pierced the gaps on both sides of the wicket. Particularly noticeable was his ability to cleverly guide the ball fine, to third-man and fine-leg fence.
Hyderabad was also handicapped by the injury to wicketkeeper K. Sumanth this morning. This led to skipper Ambati Rayudu donning the keeper’s gloves.
When Hyderabad chased, the 71-run second-wicket stand between Rohit Rayudu and Ravi Teja and later the 98-run fourth wicket partnership involving B. Sandeep and Ambati Rayudu kept Karnataka at bay.
Thereafter, the fall of seven wickets for 42 runs –with Shreyas Gopal scalping five wickets – resulted in a handsome winning margin.
Maharashtra cruises to victory
Similarly, Maharashtra was never in serious danger as it avenged the seven-wicket loss suffered to Mumbai in their T20 encounter at Rajkot last month.
Electing to bat, Mumbai lost its top three batsmen by the 11th over. Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Shams Mulani and Shubham Ranjane got starts but could not make them count.
Maharashtra covered the distance by riding on a 117-run second wicket stand between Shrikant Mundhe and skipper Rahul Tripathi, followed by an unfinished 89-run fourth-wicket association between Naushad Shaikh and Ankit Bawane (37 not out).
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