Vidarbha Wins First National Cricket Trophy After 38-Run Win

After coming so close last year, Vidarbha finally got to lift a national cricket trophy.

The team defeated defending Ranji Trophy champions Saurashtra by 38 runs on Sunday at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, claiming their first-ever Vijay Hazare Trophy. It was redemption after losing in last year's final to Karnataka.

Atharva Taide became the unlikely hero, scoring 128 runs off 118 balls in his first century of the tournament. He saved his best performance for the biggest stage, smashing 15 fours and 3 sixes to help Vidarbha post a commanding total of 317 runs.

"That he scored the most against this season's highest wicket-taker showed the quality of his innings," observers noted. His pull shots and pick-up strokes demonstrated complete control under pressure.

The victory looked far from certain when Saurashtra's Prerak Mankad and Chirag Jani built a dangerous 93-run partnership. With both batsmen finding their rhythm, the defending champions seemed poised to chase down the target.

But captain Harsh Dubey delivered the crucial breakthrough, trapping Mankad leg-before when he was looking most dangerous on 88 runs. Speedster Yash Thakur then sealed the victory with four wickets, including the final dismissal that sparked celebrations.

The Bright Side

Vidarbha's triumph proves that persistence pays off. The team's journey from last year's heartbreak to this year's glory shows how setbacks can fuel success.

Aman Mokhade finished as the tournament's leading run-scorer with 814 runs, even though he fell early in the final. The team's depth allowed others to step up when needed most.

The final over proved decisive, with Darshan Nalkande smashing 13 runs off 16 to give Vidarbha the cushion they ultimately needed.

For a team that had never won this trophy before, Sunday's victory marks a new chapter in Vidarbha cricket history.