Internet Desk: After Vijay Hazare Trophy final, Dinesh Karthik scored another fine century for Tamil Nadu as they beat India B by 42 runs to win the Deodhar Trophy in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
Kartik’s ton helped Tamil Nadu to set a huge target of 304 runs to win in front of India B. But Parthiv Patel led India B could only manage to score 261 runs before getting all out.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu captain Vijay Shankar won the toss and elected to bat first. Kulkarni caught Kaushik Gandhi off his own bowling with 24 runs on the board. In his next over, Kulkarni returned to account for M Ashwin – with the score still stuck on 24. Kulkarni then followed up with the wicket of Ganga Sridhar Raju in the 11th over to push TN on the back-foot. However, TN’s man-in-form, Dinesh Karthik, who walked out to bat at number five, revived the innings in the company of N Jagadeesan. With a 136-run partnership, the fourth wicket pair set up a platform for a competitive total. Jagadeesan was dismissed in the 31st over when he was dismissed by Chama Milind; the TN wicket-keeper made 55 from 62 balls.
The TN skipper then joined Karthik and helped build the innings further; the fifth wicket pair added 66 runs in 8.3 overs. Their blossoming stand was ended by Axar Patel, who sent back Dinesh for 126. Dinda then trapped Vijay Shankar lbw off the first ball of the next to leave the team on 241 for six with a little more than 10 overs left in the innings.
Baba Indrajith then rallied on with the lower-order to take the team past the 300-run mark. Even as Kulkarni and Co kept picking up wickets to keep TN in check, Indrajith finished unbeaten on 31 (off 30 balls) as he boosted the total. With last man Sai Kishore, Indrajith added 20 runs in an unbroken partnership to take Tamil Nadu to 303-9.
India ‘B’ were jolted early in their run-chase when pacer M Mohammed dismissed the India ‘B’ captain, Parthiv Patel in the fourth over, to leave them at 19 for one. Manish Pandey then joined Shikhar Dhawan in carrying the innings forward; the pair had added 64 for the second wicket and kept the chase on course until opener was sent back by Shah. Sai Kishore then accounted for Ishank Jaggi to leave the team on 84 for three in the 12th over. India ‘B’s woes continued as Pandey retired hurt for 23 after adding a further nine runs to the total with Harpreet Singh Bhatia.
Gurkeerat Mann, then joined forces with Bhatia to keep the side in the fray and the pair had put together 72 runs before the latter was sent back by Ashwin leaving the side on 165 for four. Sundar followed up with the wicket of Axar in the next over to peg back the side further. But, Akshay Karnewar joined Mann in the middle to put up a fight; their 56-run partnership was broken by M Mohammed as India ‘B’ were reduced to 222 for six.
With his side on the backfoot, Pandey returned to the crease in the 43rd over to take the chase forward. Shah then dealt a double blow to tip the balance in TN’s favour; he claimed Mann and Pandey to leave India ‘B’ at 233 for eight.
Sai Kishore then sent back Kulkarni, while Vijay Shankar claimed Dinda to wrap-up India ‘B’ for 261 and seal victory.
Brief scores:
Tamil Nadu 303 for 9 in 50 overs (N Jagadeeshan 55, Dinesh Karthik 126; Dhawal Kulkarni 5 for 39, Harpreet Singh Bhatia 1 for 29) beat India B 261 in 46.1 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 45, Gurkeerat Singh 64; Mohammed Mohammed 2 for 53, Rahil Shah 3 for 40) by 42 runs.