Varun Chakaravarthy’s sensational spell of 5.2-2-9-5 ensured Tamil Nadu blew away Mizoram by ten wickets in its fifth league match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy at the Dr P.V.G. Raju ACA Sports Complex, Vizianagaram, on Friday.
After being asked to bat first, Mizoram was shot out for 71 in 21.2 overs before the TN openers N. Jagadeesan (46 n.o.) and Tushar Raheja (27 n.o.) knocked off the paltry target in exactly 10 overs.
It is TN’s third win, and the thumping win has given the five-time champion a healthy boost to its net run rate.
Earlier, pace spearhead Sandeep Warrier set the ball rolling, taking the first two wickets, while medium-pace all-rounder Vijay Shankar chipped in with two more scalps to wreck the top-order.
Once off-spinner Mohamed Ali removed Agni Chopra (23), Mizoram’s innings crashed like a pack of cards. Varun quickly cleaned up the lower-order, completing his second List A five-wicket haul.
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Meanwhile, in the other match of Group D, Vidarbha became the first team to qualify for the knockouts after beating Uttar Pradesh by eight wickets. This was Vidarbha’s fifth win in as many games. Skipper Karun Nair (112, 101b, 11×4, 2×6) continued his rich vein of form, leading from the front and smashing his fourth hundred in the tournament to guide his side home.
Chasing 307, Yash Rathod (138 n.o, 140b, 15×4, 1×6) and Karun added 228 for the second wicket partnership and helped Vidarbha chase down the target in a canter in 47.2 overs.
On Sunday, Tamil Nadu will face Chhattisgarh in the final league game, and the outcome of this tie could determine who qualifies as the second team from this group.