Karnataka adn Saurashtra Secure Semi-Final Spots in Rain-Affected Vijay Hazare Trophy Quarter-Finals
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A combination of bad light and rain substantially impacted both quarter-final matches of the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy on Monday, but ultimately, Karnataka and Saurashtra emerged victorious, booking their places in the semi-finals.Karnataka defeated Mumbai, while Saurashtra overcame Uttar Pradesh, both contests decided under the VJD method after weather interruptions.
Karnataka Cruise Past Mumbai Despite Star Absences
Karnataka displayed a professional performance to beat Mumbai by 55 runs, despite Mumbai being without several key players including Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Shreyas Iyer. Sarfaraz Khan, Mumbai’s leading run-scorer in the tournament, was also sidelined due to an injury sustained in practice.
After restricting Mumbai to 254 for 8, a total built around a resilient 86 from Shams Mulani, Karnataka found themselves in a strong position. Vidwath Kaverappa and Abhilash Shetty had earlier impressed with the new ball, exploiting the overcast conditions. However, it was a superb unbroken 144-run partnership between Devdutt Padikkal (81) and Nair (74) that ultimately sealed the win.
The match was effectively decided when play was halted due to bad light. At that point, Karnataka were comfortably ahead of the VJD par score of 132 for 1 after 33 overs, having reached 187 for 1. Earlier, mumbai had struggled to build momentum, slipping to 60 for 4 before Mulani and captain Siddhesh Lad added 76 for the fifth wicket.Despite a late flourish, adding 59 runs in the final five overs, Mumbai’s total proved insufficient.The Karnataka fielders also had a challenging day,dropping catches to Padikkal and Agarwal,but ultimately,their batting proved too strong.
mankad Shines as Saurashtra edge Past Uttar Pradesh
Saurashtra secured a hard-fought 17-run victory over Uttar Pradesh, again under the VJD method. Uttar Pradesh,batting first,posted a competitive 310 for 8,fueled by half-centuries from Sameer Rizvi (88) and Abhishek Goswami (88).
Though, a strong batting performance from Saurashtra, led by Prerak Mankad (67) and a masterful unbeaten century from Desai (100), put them in a commanding position. Despite losing early wickets, a 133-run stand between Desai and Mankad laid the foundation for their chase.
Rain interrupted play with Saurashtra at 238 for 3, already 17 runs ahead of the VJD par score. Desai continued his calculated innings after the resumption, reaching his century off 116 balls. The drizzle intensified, ultimately bringing an end to the match and confirming Saurashtra’s semi-final berth. Goswami’s earlier innings for Uttar Pradesh had been remarkable, featuring stylish drives, but ultimately, i
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