Karnataka are India’s domestic 50-over champions!

Karnataka have clinched Vijay Hazare trophy 2018, beating Saurashtra in the final by 42 runs. This is Karnataka’s third Vijay Hazare Trophy in the space of five years.

In the big final, Karnataka made a modest 253, courtesy Mayank Agarwal’s whirlwind 79-ball 90. Ravikumar Samarth and Pavan Deshpande were among the others who chipped in with the bat.

Karnataka celebrate their third #VijayHazare Trophy win after beating Saurashtra in the 2017-18 #Final @paytm pic.twitter.com/8wwdOJAbJC

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) February 27, 2018

Saurashtra did well to restrict resurgent Karnataka for a below-par total, but got off to a poor start with the bat. Samarth Vyas perished soon after the innings began, with following batsmen joining him in the dugout at regular intervals. The only one to offer some resistance against the hostile Karantaka bowling was Cheteshwar Pujara, but it was not enough in the end. Prasidh Krishna and Krishnappa Gowtham starred with the bowl to dismiss Saurashtra on 212.

Read: Mayank Agarwal overlook for Nidahas Trophy

Mayank Agarwal, adjudged man-of-the-match for his fine effort, is also the chief architect of Karnataka’s winning campaign. The opening batsman piled 723 runs in 8 innings at an astonishing batting average of 90.37, and striking at 108 per 100 balls.