Vijay Hazare Trophy: How Vidarbha stamped their authority as an all-format domestic force with one over Saurashtra to clinch maiden title | Cricket News
Vidarbha aren’t sheepish about wearing the grafting distinction of their First-Class cricket when switching to coloured clothing. Like the often understated New Zealanders, who stunned India with an ODI series win over the past week, Vidarbha too find their ways to defang opponents on the big occasions. On Sunday in Bengaluru, Vidarbha’s authority as an all-format domestic force grew stronger with their maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy title win, beating Saurashtra by 38 runs, exactly a year on since losing the previous edition’s final to Karnataka. Despite his prolonged lull in the white-ball leg and on the senior circuit, it was ultimately an afternoon that would work out for Atharva Taide (128) as he smashed his first List A hundred in five years. Confined to talent from a modest pool of eight districts, Vidarbha and coach Usman Gani have spent a decade and a half honing and perfecting their cartel of hustlers from the Nagpur factory. It is why they can weather last-minute jolts, such as losing senior pro and second-highest run-getter, Dhruv Shorey, on the …
