NEW DELHI: A day after their Test careers met with a dead end, experienced batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane exhibited resilience on the field during the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Bengaluru, with varying outcomes for Saurashtra and Mumbai, respectively.
Pujara, crafting his 35th List A fifty, battled through a challenging 114-ball innings to score 55. Unfortunately, his efforts were not enough to prevent a Saurashtra collapse, with the team managing only 144 runs.
Despite Rahane's early dismissal for 12, Mumbai successfully chased down the target, reaching 150 for 5 in 34.4 overs at the Alur grounds, securing a five-wicket victory.
Both Rahane and Pujara had been left out of the Test side announced for the upcoming tour of South Africa.
Shardul Thakur played a crucial role in Mumbai's triumph, showcasing his all-round skills. Thakur contributed with the ball by taking 2 for 37 from eight overs, restricting Saurashtra's batting lineup.
Despite Mumbai facing a precarious situation at 76 for 5, Thakur, unbeaten at 39 off 44 balls, and wicketkeeper-batsman Prasad Pawar, notching up 43 not out off 63 balls, formed an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 74 runs, guiding Mumbai to a notable victory.
Devdutt Padikkal powers Karnataka to 22-run win
Padikkal marked his inclusion in the India 'A' squad for the South Africa tour with a stellar performance, propelling Karnataka to a 22-run victory over Chandigarh in a Group C match held in Ahmedabad.
Padikkal's remarkable innings saw him score 114 runs off 103 balls, providing a solid foundation for Karnataka's total of 299 for 6. Nikin Jose also made a significant contribution with a 96-run knock from 114 balls, while skipper Manish Pandey added an unbeaten 53 off 48 balls.
Chasing the challenging target, Chandigarh showcased a commendable effort, thanks to opener Arslan Khan's impressive century (102 off 103 balls) and Ankit Kaushik's 51.
However, despite their efforts, Chandigarh eventually had to settle for 277 for 7 in 50 overs, falling short of the required total. The match highlighted Padikkal's prowess and Karnataka's collective batting strength, securing them a noteworthy victory in the group stage encounter.
Punjab shock star-studded Tamil Nadu
Punjab emerged victorious against Tamil Nadu in their Group E match at the BKC grounds in Mumbai, propelled by impressive batting performances from Mandeep Singh and Prabhsimran Singh.
Mandeep Singh's solid innings of 68 and Prabhsimran's contribution of 58 guided Punjab to a competitive total of 251 all out in 45.2 overs. In response, Punjab's bowlers showcased their prowess, dismissing a strong Tamil Nadu lineup for 175 in the 35th over.
Despite a resilient effort from veteran Dinesh Karthik, who scored a notable 93 off 82 balls, Punjab's bowler Siddharth Kaul played a pivotal role, taking 5 wickets for 50 runs to hinder Tamil Nadu's pursuit of the target.
The collective efforts of Punjab's batsmen and bowlers resulted in a convincing 76-run victory in this group stage encounter.
Brief scores:
(With PTI inputs)
