Haryana 287 for 8 (Ankit 88, Menaria 70, Choudhary 4-49) beat Rajasthan 257 (Tomar 106, Rathore 79, Sumit 3-34, Harshal 3-47) by 30 runs
In an exciting final that went down to the wire, Haryana’s bowlers maintained their composure to win their first Vijay Hazare crown in Rajkot. Despite a century in a challenging chase by Rajasthan opener
Abhijeet Tomar, who rescued his team from a dire position of 12 for 3, Rajasthan ended up on the losing side.
Rajasthan appeared to be in control as they entered the final 10 overs needing 76 with five wickets in hand. However, a productive over by legspinner Amit Rana turned the momentum in Rajasthan’s favor.
However, the tables turned after two crucial wickets by Haryana’s bowler, Amit Rana. This led to Rajasthan losing their grip on the game and facing a tough situation from a comfortable position.
Legspinner Rahul Tewatia and fast bowler Anshul Kamboj then finished the game skillfully. Haryana’s victory triggered jubilation in their camp as Rajasthan concluded their inning at 257, falling thirty runs short of Haryana’s 287 for 8.
This victory saw
Ashok Menaria, who was playing his first professional season for Haryana, lifting the trophy against the team he represented for over a decade. Menaria not only lifted the trophy but also played a significant role in the final to give momentum to an innings that seemed to be stuck.
Menaria was part of the early struggle but, to his credit, focused and did not give away his wicket. His partnership with opener
Ankit Kumar set the stage for Haryana. Ankit, who had an impressive List A season, made a fluent 88 before being dismissed by left-arm-seamer Aniket Choudhary.
Menaria’s aggressive play eased the pressure on Haryana, but he fell while trying to accelerate even more, becoming Choudhary’s third victim. Late contributions from allrounders Nishant Sindhu, Rahul Tewatia, and Sumit Kumar highlighted Haryana’s batting strength. The last nine overs produced 82 runs, providing momentum at the halfway mark. Choudhary was the standout bowler with figures of 4 for 49, consistently troubling the batters with his swing and accurate lengths.
Sumit’s fairytale evening continued as he struck an unbeaten 28 off 16 balls and dismissed key Rajasthan batsmen to seal the victory for Haryana. Rajasthan’s initial struggle at 12 for 3 placed them in a challenging position.
Despite a strong effort from Tomar and support from Karan Lamb and Rathore, Rajasthan’s attempt to keep up with the required run rate was thwarted. Haryana’s experienced bowlers eventually rose to the occasion, delivering a deflating blow to Rajasthan and securing their first Vijay Hazare crown.
