Vijay Hazare Trophy: Darshan Nalkande shines with 5/48 as Vidarbha restricts Karnataka to 280 in first semi-final

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 15 (ANI): Vidarbha seamer Darshan Nalkande produced a brilliant bowling performance, claiming a five-wicket haul to restrict Karnataka to 280 in the first semi-final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Bengaluru on Thursday.

Karnataka's innings got off to a shaky start as their openers failed to settle. Captain Mayank Agarwal was the first to fall, managing 9 runs. Soon after his partner's dismissal, the in-form Devdutt Padikkal followed him, as he was dismissed by Yash Thakur for 4. Karnataka were 20/2 in 6.2 overs.

Karun Nair and Dhruv Prabhakar then attempted to rebuild the innings, adding 54 runs together. Prabhakar scored 28 before becoming Darshan Nalkande's first victim of the match.

After Prabhakar's dismissal, Nair found solid support from Krishnan Shrijith, with the pair putting together a crucial 113-run partnership that steadied Karnataka's innings. Nair anchored the stand and played a composed knock, scoring 76 off 90 balls, including eight fours and a six, before being dismissed by Nalkande.

Shrijith followed soon after, having scored 54 off 53 deliveries with seven boundaries. He was dismissed by Yash Kadam.

Shreyas Gopal and Abhinav Manohar then added 55 runs to push the total forward. However, Nalkande returned to break the partnership, dismissing Gopal for his third wicket. He went on to remove Vidyadhar Patil and later picked up Abhinav Manohar to complete his five-wicket haul.

Nalkande finished with impressive figures of 5/48 from his ten overs.

Vijaykumar Vyshak was the last batter to be dismissed, scoring 17 off 11 balls before falling to Yash Thakur.

Among the other bowlers, Thakur picked up 2/64, while Nachiket Bhute returned figures of 1/46 and Yash Kadam claimed 1/39, as Vidarbha managed to keep Karnataka in check. (ANI)

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