Kanpur: Aditya Tare’s unbeaten century and his two useful partnerships helped Mumbai to fulfill its dream of lifting the Vijay Hazare trophy fourth time on Sunday when they defeated UP by 6 wickets in a high scoring final held at Arun Jaitley stadium in New Delhi.
UP, batting first, scored a total of 312 for 4 in 50 overs with the help of opener Madhav Kaushik’s unbeaten knock of 158 runs. The score board gave an indication that the tie would be contesting but Mumbai proved it wrong when they successfully chased the target scoring 315 for 4 in 41.3 overs.
UP bowlers got rid belligerent Prithvi Shaw in just 39 balls, but before that he tore the attack hammering 10 boundaries and four sixes in his 79 runs. They could have got rid him earlier if Karan Sharma had not dropped him of Aquib Khan. Shaw thereafter became aggressive. Another opener Yashaswai Bhupedra too attacked and scored 29 runs in 30 balls hitting 3 boundaries and a six. This aggressive batting disturbed the UP attack.
By the time bowlers could reunite Aditya Tare, SZ Mulani added 88 runs for the third wicket in 93 balls before separation. Yash Dayal broke their partnership claiming Mulani for 36 runs. But this was not the end of trouble as Shivam Dubey supported Tare in the middle and the two batsmen played another significant partnership of 88 runs.
Though Sameer Chaudhary broke their partnership but it was too late as the score was 303 for 4 in 40.2 overs. Mumbai now required just 9 runs in the remaining 9.4 overs with six wickets in hand and their star batsmen Tare was in the middle who had completed his century off 91 balls during this partnership.
Tare along with SN Khan completed the formality in the very next over dropped by Yash Dayal. He scored 118 runs in 107 deliveries sending the ball 18 times to the fence.
UP, in the morning, decided to bat first and got a flying start from opener Madhav Kaushik and Samarth Singh as they collected 122 runs in 26 overs. Thereafter UP got two setbacks. Karan Sharma returned without score in the very first ball he faced and Priyam Garg fell prey to Tanush for 21 runs.
In form, Aksh Deep Nath once again played a solid inning of 55 runs before being adjudged as run out. In an effort to rotate the strike, he fell short from the crease on direct throw of Prithvi Shaw.
Two batsmen added 128 runs for the fourth wicket and in between Kaushik completed his century in 125 balls. Kaushik returned unbeaten on 158 runs in 156 balls plundering 15 boundaries and 4 sixes. After the match was over, UP coach Gyanendra Pandey said that the score of 312 was good one and could be defended. But the bowlers failed to do so. He praised the innings of Madhav Kaushik and Aksh Deep Nath.
Brief score:
UP- 312 for 4 (Madhav Kaushik 158no, Samarth Singh 55, Priyam Garg 21, Aksh Deep Nath 55, Tanush Kotian 2 for 54, PH Solanki 1 for 71), Mumbai - 315 for 4 (Prithvi Shaw 73, Yash Bhupendra Jaiswal 29, Aditya Tare 118no, SZ Mulani 36, Shivam Dubey 42, Yash Dayal 1 for 71, Shivam Mavi 1 for 63, Shivam Sharma 1 for 71 and Sameer Chaudhary 1 for 43).