Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023: Haryana beats Rajasthan by 30 runs to clinch maiden title

Abhijeet Tomar’s century went in vain as Haryana bowled out Rajasthan on 257 while defending the 288-run target.

Haryana team players celebrate the victory after they beat Rajasthan during Vijay Hazare Trophy Final. | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI / The Hindu

In a pulsating Vijay Hazare Trophy final, Sumit Kumar’s ubiquitous brilliance and Harshal Patel’s flashes of inspiration scripted Haryana’s 30-run win over Rajasthan and secured the state team’s first title triumph in more than 32 years at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium here on Saturday.

With Abhijeet Tomar and Kunal Rathore soaking the pressure of a top-order collapse with a 121-run partnership for the fifth wicket, it was fitting that Sumit and Harshal combined to dismiss the former and help Haryana claw back.

Vijay Hazare Trophy Final Highlights

After being taken to the cleaners in his first two spells, Harshal induced a miscued lofted shot over covers from Tomar only for Sumit to pull off a stunner at mid-off. A few overs later, Harshal got Rathore to slice one in the deep and usher in Rajasthan’s long tail.

Sumit’s ability to move the ball both ways had Rajasthan reeling at 12 for three. After removing Ram Chouhan and Mahipal Lomror, Sumit got one to move in and trap Deepak Hooda leg-before, deflating the partisan crowd.

Tomar staged a 68-run resistance for the fourth wicket with Karan Lamba before giving Haryana a mighty scare with Rathore. The duo’s intent against spin could have been the difference between the sides but Harshal had other ideas.

Rajasthan’s Abhijeet Tomar celebrates his century during Vijay Hazare Trophy Final. | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI/ The Hindu

Earlier, Ankit Kumar (88, 91b, 12x4. 1x6), and captain Ashok Menaria (70, 96b, 8x4) frustrated Rajasthan with a 124-run partnership for the third wicket after losing two wickets inside nine overs.

The duo rebuilt during a 17-over phase of relentless spin bowling that yielded 78 runs. Rajasthan’s ploy of employing left-arm spinner Kukna Ajay Singh against right-hander Ankit and Hooda bringing himself into the attack to have a go at Menaria didn’t pay off.

Aniket Choudhary eventually broke the alliance as the left-arm pacer rearranged Ankit’s stumps off the first ball of his second spell.

With Ankit back in the hut, Menaria looked to crank through the gears but ended up flicking Choudhary’s full delivery into the hands of deep square-leg.

Choudhary put down the marker for Arafat Khan and Khaleel Ahmed. Though Arafat had a disciplined start, nabbing Yuvraj Singh with a tight line and bounce, he strayed too wide and too full.

Nishant Sindhu and Rahul Tewatia struck sprightly cameos, while Sumit (28 off 16), who elicited chants of “Surya, Surya” from a bunch of kids with a perilous scoop for six over fine-leg in a 14-run last over, was only warming up.

BRIEF SCORES

Haryana 287/8 in 50 overs (Ankit Kumar 88, Ashok Menaria 70; Aniket Choudhary 4/49) beat Rajasthan 257 in 48 overs (Abhijeet Tomar 106, Kunal Rathore 79; Sumit Kumar 3/34, Harshal Patel 3/47) by 30 runs.