Karnataka lift Mushtaq Ali Trophy

Indore, March 14 

Opener Mayank Agarwal smashed an unbeaten 85 off 57 balls as Karnataka dished out a clinical performance to beat Maharashtra by eight wickets and lift the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Led by Abhimanyu Mithun (2/24), the Karnataka bowlers restricted Maharashtra to 155/4 despite an unbeaten 69 by all-rounder Naushad Shaikh. Later, they overhauled the target with Agarwal and Rohan Kadam (60) striking half-centuries. Karnataka chased the target with nine balls to spare and ended their otherwise ordinary season on a high. Kadam and Agarwal took a listless Maharashtra attack to the cleaners in their 92-run stand for the second wicket. 

Maharashtra posted a respectable 155/4 on the board courtesy Shaikh’s unbeaten 69 off 41 balls. Shaikh along with Ankit Bawne (29) rallied the Maharashtra innings with their 81-run stand for the fourth wicket after the Surendra Bhave coached team was in a spot of bother at 55/3. — PTI

Brief Scores: Maharashtra: 155/4 (R Tripathi 30, Ankit Bawne 29; Abhimanyu Mithun 2/24); Karnataka: 159/2 (Mayank Agarwal 85*, Rohan Kadam 60; DM Hinganekar 1/21)