Vidarbha continued their remarkable run in the Irani Cup, defeating Rest of India by 93 runs on Sunday in Nagpur. Chasing a challenging target of 361 on the final day, Rest of India were bowled out for 267 in the second session, with left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey (4/73) and pacer Yash Thakur (2/47) leading the charge. The victory means Vidarbha have now played three Irani Cup matches — and won all three.
Dhull Fights Back But Vidarbha Bowlers Hold Firm
Despite a valiant effort from Yash Dhull, who top-scored with 92, Rest of India struggled against Vidarbha’s disciplined bowling attack. Dhull and Manav Suthar (56) added 104 runs for the seventh wicket, reviving hopes of a dramatic chase after the team had slipped to 133/6. However, Thakur dismissed Dhull with a well-judged catch from Atharva Taide at deep third man, ending the resistance. A heated exchange followed between Dhull and Thakur, but match officials quickly intervened to defuse the situation.
Key Performances Seal the Title
Thakur struck again immediately, cleaning up Akash Deep, before Dubey — last season’s leading wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy — wrapped up the innings in style. Vidarbha’s comprehensive win was built on collective performances, with both Dubey and Thakur finishing the match with six wickets each.
Atharva Taide, who scored a crucial 143 in the first innings and took the catch to dismiss Dhull, was named Player of the Match. “The last couple of seasons weren’t great for me, but I prepared well this time. Starting the season with the Irani Cup win couldn’t be better,” Taide said.
Key Takeaways for Rest of India
Rest of India captain Rajat Patidar admitted his team fell short tactically. “Vidarbha played well and deserved the win. If we had applied ourselves better after assessing the conditions, we could have pushed closer,” he said.
There were some positives for the Rest side — notably pacer Akash Deep’s return from a shoulder injury. He bowled 29 overs across both innings and claimed three wickets. However, Abhimanyu Easwaran’s struggles in knockout matches continued, with both of his dismissals coming via arm balls from left-arm spinners.
Brief Scores:
- Vidarbha: 342 & 232
- Rest of India: 214 & 267 all out in 73.5 overs (Yash Dhull 92, Manav Suthar 56, Harsh Dubey 4/73, Yash Thakur 2/47)
Vidarbha’s clinical performance once again underlined their dominance in domestic cricket as they lifted the Irani Cup trophy in emphatic fashion.
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