Sat Jan 18 18:55:11 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka Clinches Fifth Vijay Hazare Trophy Title, Defeating Vidarbha in Thrilling Final

**Vadodara, India** – Karnataka emerged victorious in a thrilling final against Vidarbha at the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 tournament, held at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. Karnataka secured their fifth Vijay Hazare title with a 36-run victory, tying them with Tamil Nadu for the most wins in the tournament’s history.

Vidarbha, undefeated throughout the competition until the final, put up a strong fight. Their captain, Karun Nair, was named Player of the Series for his impressive 779 runs across eight innings. Dhruv Shorey’s third consecutive century (100 runs) anchored Vidarbha’s chase of Karnataka’s imposing 348 runs, but their efforts ultimately fell short.

Karnataka’s innings was built on a crucial 160-run partnership between Smaran Ravichandran (who scored a century and was named Player of the Match) and Krishnan Shrijith. Late-innings fireworks from Abhinav Manohar further boosted their total.

Despite Shorey’s heroic century and a late surge from Harsh Dubey, Vidarbha’s batting lineup struggled to keep pace with the required run rate. The pressure mounted, leading to crucial wickets, ultimately sealing Karnataka’s victory.

Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal expressed his delight at the win, highlighting the team’s performance in crucial moments and the contributions of several young players. Nair, while disappointed with the loss, praised his team’s efforts and acknowledged the areas for improvement.

The victory sets up a quick turnaround for Karnataka, as they prepare for the resumption of the Ranji Trophy on January 23rd.

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