Karnataka beat Saurashtra to bag Vijay Hazare Trophy

Bengaluru, February 27: Seamer Prasidh Krishna's good length ball that beat Shaurya Sanandia's paddle sweep to whip the bails off ended the frustrating wait of Karnataka for a trophy this domestic season.

Read in Kannada | Telugu / Arvind retires

The dismissal signaled a 41-run win for Karnataka over Saurashtra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy final at the Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi, on Tuesday (February 27).

But the match as a contest ended long before that when Karnataka managed to pluck six Saurashtra wickets for a mere 101 while chasing a competitive 254-run target. Saurashtra were eventually bowled out for 212 after Karnataka made 253 courtesy another superb knock by Mayank Agarwal (90, 79b, 11x4, 3x6).

In fact, the Karnataka innings was a reflection of the season in which Agarwal towered over the rest like a colossus - 2,141 runs across all formats and the first batsman in the history of Indian domestic cricket to achieve the feat.

His 90 was the lone fifty in the innings and his knock followed by R Samarth (48) and Pavan Deshpande (49). Agarwal's 90 also helped Karnataka tide over a mini crisis after skipper Karun Nair and KL Rahul, who joined the team after the away T20I series against South Africa, fell for ziltch, reducing them to 5/2.

Kamlesh Makwana was the pick of Saurashtra bowlers taking four wickets for 34 runs.

Saurashtra struggled massively to get a move on during their chase and the lone bastion of resistance was Cheteshwar Pujara's 94 (127, 10x4, 1x6).

He held the Saurashtra innings together amidst the rumble around him and even threatened to take Saurashtra close to Karnataka total with late found aggression.

Karnataka win the #VijayHazare title and Sreenath Arvind ends his domestic career on a winning note as he announces his retirement from First-class and List A cricket. pic.twitter.com/hKhs6squup

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) February 27, 2018

But a laser-guided throw from Karun from inside of the circle caught Pujara just short of the crease while attempting to return to the non-striker's end after an aborted attempt for a single.

That was the last nail in their chase and ensured that Karnataka will add a trophy in their cabinet. Now over to Deodhar Trophy against India A and India B in Dharamshala from March 5.

No one would be more eager than that man - Mayank Agarwal.