2:33 PM IST & Local Time: Yet another final-ball thriller at the Narendra Modi Stadium! Rajasthan hold their nerve and seal a miraculous 1-run victory, making it three wins in three in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025!
Karnataka elected to bowl first, and Vidyadhar Patil struck early by removing Shubham Garhwal in the second over. However, Rajasthan quickly seized control as Bharat Sharma and Deepak Hooda launched a powerful counterattack. The pair dominated the powerplay with an explosive 81-run stand off just 43 balls, putting Karnataka under severe pressure. Though Praveen Dubey broke the partnership by dismissing Bharat for 38 off 19 and Hooda soon followed for 43 off 28, the momentum stayed with Rajasthan. Kartik Sharma then steadied the innings before unleashing a few big hits, contributing a composed 46 off 31.
Mahipal Lomror provided the perfect finish, staying unbeaten on 48 off 30 balls as Rajasthan surged past the 200-run mark in the final over. Karnataka’s death bowling lacked precision, allowing Rajasthan to post a formidable 201/5 in their 20 overs. Vidyadhar Patil (2/41) and Vyshak Vijaykumar (2/39) were the standout bowlers, but Rajasthan’s aggressive batting proved too strong on the night.
In reply, Karnataka made a shaky start, losing Mayank Agarwal and KL Shrijith inside the powerplay. Devdutt Padikkal and Karun Nair tried to steady things with a 32-run stand for the third wicket, but just when it seemed like Karnataka were settling in, Padikkal fell for 32 as Rahul Chahar struck in his very first over.
Karun Nair brought up a well-made half-century before departing for 51 off 32 balls. Smaran Ravichandran looked composed in the middle but barely saw the strike in the closing stages. Rajasthan seemed to be heading towards a comfortable win with the asking rate soaring beyond 17 an over, and 52 needed off the last 18 balls. But Vidyadhar Patil reignited Karnataka’s hopes with a stunning cameo, smashing 27 off just 8 deliveries to keep the chase alive.
With 16 needed off the final over, Akash Singh held his nerve to deliver a superb set of yorkers under pressure, sealing the match for Rajasthan. A brilliant death-bowling display ensured a 1-run victory, as Rajasthan made it three wins in a row in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025! Three wickets apiece for Ashok Sharma (3/43) and Kamlesh Nagarkoti (3/52).