Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021: Faiz Fazal led Vidarbha and Aditya Shrivastava’s Madhya Pradesh are aiming for three quarterfinal berths on offer in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. While star-studded Manish Pandey Karnataka will be up against an equally experienced Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh will have a slight edge. Vidarbha are likely to find it easy against minnows Tripura on Sunday.
Karnataka vs Rajasthan:
With the return of Krishnappa Gowtham, Devdutt Padikkal and Prasidh Krishna, Karnataka have been bolstered at the right stage. Apart from the trio who returned from national duty, the experienced guns such as captain Manish Pandey himself besides Karun Nair, Ravikumar Samarth and Rohan Kadam.
Vijay Hazare Trophy pre-quarters: Karnataka, Vidarbha, Madhya Pradesh eye quarters berth – Follow Live Updates
But Rajasthan can give them an equal contest especially with Khaleel Ahmed, Aniket Choudhury and, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and especially Ravi Bishnoi. The young leg-spinner could be the key to success for Rajasthan while Karnataka will bank on KC Cariappa and Gowtham. In the batting department, if Devdutt Padikkal’s willow performs the way it did in the last edition, Karnataka could have the upper hand. Padikkal finished with 737 runs
It will be a battle between Karnataka batters – Ravikumar Samarth, Rohan Kadam, Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, up against the likes of Khaleel Ahmed, Aniket Choudhary, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ravi Bishnoi and Shubham Sharma. But if Rajasthan have to make the last 8, their batters would have to deliver, else Karnataka can romp home easily.
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Vijay Hazare Trophy pre-quarters: Karnataka, Vidarbha, Madhya Pradesh eye quarters berth – Follow Live Updates
Madhya Pradesh vs Uttar Pradesh:
The third quarter-final between two neighbouring states – Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh — also promises to be an exciting affair in which the former would be banking on the performance of Venkatesh Iyer, who shone in his debut T20 series against New Zealand, and that could eventually be the difference between the two sides.
Iyer has already slammed 349 runs in five games with two centuries and a half-century. Containing him will be the key for Uttar Pradesh. For MP, another important cog in the wheel is batsman Shubham Sharma, who has so far scored 335 runs in the league stage. But the other batters would also need to play their parts to perfection against a quality UP attack, which boasts of seamers like Yash Dayal and Shivam Mavi.
Vijay Hazare Trophy pre-quarters: Karnataka, Vidarbha, Madhya Pradesh eye quarters berth – Follow Live Updates
For UP, who were the runners-up of the last season, they would be eager to go one step ahead. And for that to happen, opener Madhav Kaushik and wicket-keeper batter Aryan Juyal would need to come good and tame the MP attack led by Avesh Khan.
UP’s middle order also needs to come good.
Vidarbha vs Tripura:
Coming to Vidarbha, they would rely on the performance of skipper Fazal, who has always delivered on the big stage and come Sunday, he would be eyeing for another big knock.
Vijay Hazare Trophy pre-quarters: Karnataka, Vidarbha, Madhya Pradesh eye quarters berth – Follow Live Updates
He, however, would need support from the likes of Athara Taide, Ganesh Satish, Yash Rathod and Akshay Wadkar to tame Tripura’s attack. On the bowling front, young pacer Yash Thakur is among the wickets and is the second-highest wicket-taker from the league stage with 14 scalps.
The role of his co-pacer Darshan Nalkande and seasoned off-spinner Akshay Wakhare and left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate would be key for their chances of making the last eight.
Tripura, who had won all their five matches in the Plate Group, would need to dish out a clinical show, to spring a surprise.
Vijay Hazare Trophy pre-quarters: Karnataka, Vidarbha, Madhya Pradesh eye quarters berth – Follow Live Updates
FIXTURES:
Vidarbha vs Tripura at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, 9 a.m.
Karnataka vs Rajasthan at KL Saini Stadium, 9 a.m.
Uttar Pradesh vs Madhya Pradesh at Jaipuriya Vidhyalaya Ground, 9 a.m.
