Vijay Hazare Trophy: Prithvi Shaw’s 165 helps Mumbai knock Karnataka out, to meet UP in final

Prithvi Shaw’s record-breaking century against Karnataka helped Mumbai to reach the final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

In the absence of Shreyas Iyer, who is with the Indian squad, Shaw has led Mumbai and he was the star of the show on Thursday with his fourth century of the tournament. His 165 put him on the top of run-scoring charts for the season with 754 runs while he also went past Mayank Agarwal’s record for most runs in a season in the tournament’s history.

Devdutt Padikkal made yet another fifty-plus score (64) but it was not enough for Karanataka to overhaul Mumbai’s 322 with the defending champions bowled out for 250.

While Mumbai beat Karnataka at the Air Force Ground in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh got the better of Goa in the semi-finals on Thursday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Gujarat made 184 in 48.1 overs after opting to bat first. Yash Dayal picked up three wickets, including that of the captain Priyank Panchal who came into this match on the back of a century. In reply, UP overhauled the target in 42.4 overs to finish with 188/5. Akshdeep Nath was the top-scorer for the victors with 71.

Mumbai on a roll

It was Shaw’s show all the way as he toyed with an experienced Karnataka attack, and went on to register his fourth century of the tournament, hammering 17 fours and seven sixes in his 122 ball 165.

Shaw had earlier scored three tons, including a double – 105 not out against Delhi, 227 not out against Puducherry and 185 not out against Saurashtra. He has amassed 754 runs so far in the tournament – the single highest in an edition of the national ODI championship.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (6) fell early, with Mumbai at 11/1. But Shaw went on the offensive and spared no bowler even as wicket-keeper Aditya Tare (16) played second fiddle to his marauding partner at the other end.

Shaw and Tare rallied the innings and forged a 71-run stand for the second wicket. Leggie Shreyas Gopal (1/82) broke the partnership after castling Tare.

However, the right-hander kept on playing his shots. He raced to his fifty in 48 balls and then completed his second successive ton in 79 deliveries. He found an able ally in all-rounder Shams Mulani (45; 4x4), who played his role to perfection.

The two added 159 runs for the third wicket with Shaw being the more aggressive one. Mumbai notched up the team’s 200 in 34.1 overs.

Shaw, who now holds the record for highest individual score in the tournament and highest score by an Indian in List A chase, continued to pummel the attack into submission and completed his 150 in 111 balls.

Karnataka pegged back Mumbai by dismissing both the set batsmen in quick succession as they slipped to 243/4.

Aman Khan (25), Shivam Dube (27) got starts but could not convert as the Karnataka bowlers, led by pacer V Vyshak (4/56), restricted the Mumbai middle and lower order.

Chasing 323, Karnataka lost in-form skipper R Samarth (8). Then Devdutt Padikkal (64) and Siddharth KV (8) tried to rally the innings, with their 68-run-stand, but it was 22-year-old off-spinner Tanush Kotian (2/23), who inflicted Karnataka a double blow by dismissing Siddharth and skipper Manish Pandey.

Leg-spinner Prashant Solanki (2/61) put Mumbai on top after castling the dangerous Padikkal, who was in ominous touch, and had by then smashed nine fours and a six. Karnataka were reeling at 97/4 at one stage.

Left-arm spinner Shams Mulani (2/47) got the better of Karun Nair (29) as Karnataka lost half their side for 134, while Yashashvi got the better of Shreyas Gopal to leave them staring at 152/6.

BR Sharath (61) delayed the inevitable and tried to put up a fight, but that wasn’t enough.

Brief scores: Mumbai 322 (Prithvi Shaw 165; Shams Mulani 45, V Vyshak 4/56; M Prasidh Krishna 3/64) beat Karnataka 250 (Devdutt Padikkal 64; BR Sharath 61; Tanush Kotian 2/23, Tushar Deshpande 2/37) by 72 runs.

Full scorecard for Gujarat vs UP here and for Mumbai vs Karnataka here.

With PTI inputs