Vidarbha claimed a commanding 93-run victory over Rest of India to retain the Irani Cup, powered by standout performances from Harsh Dubey and Yash Thakur on Sunday. Chasing a target of 361, Rest of India were bowled out for 267 in the second session of the fifth day.
Left-arm spinner Dubey (4/73) and pacer Thakur (2/47) shared six wickets between them, dismantling the opposition and ensuring Vidarbha extended their unbeaten record in the tournament to three wins from as many matches.
Rest of India had threatened to mount a fightback on the final day. Yash Dhull’s 92 and Manav Suthar’s 56 forged a 104-run partnership for the seventh wicket after the team had slumped to 133 for six. However, Thakur’s dismissal of Dhull, caught brilliantly by Atharva Taide at deep third man, turned the tide decisively.
The match also saw a heated moment when Thakur and Dhull nearly exchanged blows after the latter was given a stern send-off. Umpires and fielders intervened to calm the situation, though both players are expected to face sanctions from the match referee.
Vidarbha’s Atharva Taide, who scored 143 in the first innings and took the crucial catch of Dhull, was adjudged player of the match.
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“Last couple of seasons weren't great for me. But this season, I prepared very well. I wanted to make an impact for my team and starting the season with the Irani Cup had been better than this. So all this evening is for VCA… everybody, my coach, selector, everybody who's backed me throughout the season is for them,” Taide said.
Rest of India skipper Rajat Patidar acknowledged the dominance of Vidarbha. “Vidarbha played well and were deserving winners. If we had applied ourselves in a better way, after assessing the conditions, I think we could have come close to the total,” he said.
The game also offered encouraging signs for national selectors, as Akash Deep appeared fully fit following a shoulder injury sustained during the Oval Test against England. Deep bowled 29 overs across both innings, claiming three wickets.
Abhimanyu Easwaran’s struggles in crucial knockout games continued despite a half-century in the first innings. Both of his dismissals came from left-arm spinners, Parth Rekhade and Harsh Dubey, caught plumb in front after going on the backfoot.
Brief Scores: Vidarbha: 342 & 232; Rest of India: 214 & 267 all out (Yash Dhull 92, Manav Suthar 56; Harsh Dubey 4/73, Yash Thakur 2/47).
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