Top-order shines as Karnataka register easy win over Hyderabad

Karnataka dished out yet another commanding batting display to beat hosts Hyderabad by five wickets in a high-scoring South Zone leg match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, here today.

Chasing a challenging 295 for seven set by Hyderabad, the top four Karnakata batsmen struck half quick centuries to seal the match for their side with 12 balls to spare.

Openers Mayank Agarwal (70 off 68) and Australia-bound K L Rahul (53 off 58) set the tone for the chase with a 112-run first-wicket stand that came off 18.4 overs.
While Agarwal was the more aggressive among the duo, hitting nine fours and one six during his knock Rahul played the second fiddle striking four boundaries and one hit over the fence.

Soon after Rahul's dismissal in the 19th over, Agarwal too followed suit 25 balls later at the team score of 127.

But new batsmen Shishir Bhavane (81 not out off 76) and Manish Pandey (56) took it from when Agarwal and Rahul left and continued to bat freely to keep Karnataka in the hunt.

Bhavane and Pandey stitched 93 runs for the third wicket off just 84 balls to take Karnataka closer.

Earlier, Tanmay Agarwal smashed 136 off 123 balls with the help of 13 fours and four sixes, while Hanuma Vihari made 82 off 101 deliveries during which he hit five boundaries and one six to help Hyderabad post 295 for seven.

Ashish Reddy was the other Hyderabad batsman to have made a notable contribution with quickfire 51 off 35 balls. He used his long handle to great effect to hit five boundaries and one six.

Pacer Arvind Sreenath shone with the ball for Karnataka picking up four wickets for 41 runs from his 10 overs.

Brief Scores:

Hyderabad: 295 for seven in 50 overs (Tanmay Agarwal 136, Hanuma Vihari 82, Ashish Reddy 51; Arvind Sreenath 4/41).

Karnataka: 300 for five in 48 overs (Shishir Bhavane 81, Mayank Agarwal 70; Amol Shinde 2/52).