Vidarbha showcased their incredible fighting spirit with a crucial lower-order batting performance, effectively seizing control of the Irani Cup match against Rest of India (RoI) on day four at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Jamtha. Their tenacious effort has put them in a dominant position, leaving RoI with a formidable target.
Captain Akshay Wadkar spearheaded a pivotal rescue mission, combining with the tail-enders to deny RoI any chance of a comeback. They set a daunting target of 361 runs over four sessions on a pitch that is increasingly favoring spinners. The final session of the day was cut short by rain, but not before Aditya Thakare dismantled Aryan Juyal’s stumps with a brilliant delivery, and left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey trapped Abhimanyu Easwaran plumb in front with an arm ball.
As play concluded on the penultimate day, Rest of India found themselves struggling at 30 for two, with captain Rajat Patidar and Ishan Kishan navigating a tense 34 minutes. Had Danish Malewar not spilled three catches off Easwaran – two in quick succession off Harsh’s first over and another off Thakare – Vidarbha could have been even closer to clinching their third Irani Cup title.
Vidarbha began the day with a substantial lead of 224 runs and eight wickets still in hand. RoI desperately needed a collapse to create an opportunity, and paceman Anshul Kamboj initially looked to provide it. He tore through Vidarbha’s middle order with a fiery spell of 5-1-12-3, dismissing Danish Malewar (caught off an inside-edge), left-handed Yash Rathod (nicking behind while attempting an aggressive shot), and Dhruv Shorey (adjudged lbw to a delivery that sharply jagged back in).
This early onslaught saw Vidarbha lose three quick wickets for just nine runs within the first half-hour. However, Wadkar’s leadership shone through as he forged vital partnerships: a 39-run stand for the sixth wicket with Harsh, and a crucial 35-run stand for the eighth wicket with Darshan Nalkande. These partnerships effectively neutralized the RoI attack and built a significant lead.
Together, the last five Vidarbha wickets added an impressive 127 runs, occupying the crease for a remarkable four and a half hours. The resilient batting effort finally ended when Nalkande (35 runs from 92 balls, with 2 fours and 1 six), running out of patience, mishit a shot off off-spinner Saransh Jain.
Brief Scores: Vidarbha 342 & 232 (94.1 overs, Aman Mokhade 37, Akshay Wadkar 36, Darshan Nalkande 35, Anshul Kamboj 4/34) vs Rest of India 214 & 30/2 (12 overs).