New Delhi: Vidarbha openers Yash Rathod and Dhruv Shorey punished Maharashtra bowlers in the Vijay Hazare Trophy semi-final at the Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara. Both batters stepped up for their team in the crunch clash and scored stunning centuries to put Vidarbha on course for a massive total.
Shorey and Rathod (116) had added 224 runs for the first wicket in 34.4 overs. At the time of writing this article, Shorey was unbeaten on 106.
A mammoth opening stand
The 224-run stand between Shorey and Rathod is the third-highest opening partnership in a knockout game of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Ravi Kumar and Devdutt Paddikal hold the record for the highest opening stand (249) which they stitched against Kerala in 2021.
Prithvi Shaw and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 238-run stand against Saurashtra in 2021 is second on the list.
The decision to bowl first has backfired badly for Maharashtra skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who looked helpless against the Vidarbha openers.
Rathod notched up his second century of the season in just 90 balls and in the process also brought up his team’s 200.
Yash Rathod brings up his 💯 🙌
His second of the season ✌️
He also brings up 200-run stand with Dhruv Shorey 👏#VijayHazareTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/AW5jmfoiE1 pic.twitter.com/Fcx4FGmPYh
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 16, 2025
Shorey continues superb scoring run
Meanwhile, Shorey struck his second successive century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. After Satyajeet Bachhav finally got the breakthrough for Maharashtra, Shorey was joined by Karun Nair, who has hit five centuries in seven innings in India’s premier 50-over tournament.
The winner of this match will face Karnakata in the final on Saturday. Karnataka edged past Haryana by five wickets in the semi-final 1 in Vadodara on Wednesday to qualify for the final. Devdutt Padikkal stole the show with a superb 86-run knock off 113 balls after Abhilash Shetty had bamboozled Haryana batters in the first innings.
Shetty’s 4-wicket haul picked up 4 wickets and helped Karnataka restrict Haryana to 237 runs in 50 overs. Karnataka, who chased sown the target in 48.2 overs, reached in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the fifth time.
Vijay Hazare Trophy: The 224-run stand between Shorey and Rathod is the third-highest opening partnership in a knockout game of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
