Devdutt Padikkal may have missed out on yet another century, but the Karnataka opener created a landmark batting record as his team stormed into the quarterfinals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy with a dominant 150-run victory over Rajasthan. Padikkal fell just nine runs short of what would have been his fifth hundred in six games, but the 25-year-old completed 600 runs this season, becoming the first-ever cricketer to breach the 600-run mark in three separate Vijay Hazare Trophy editions—a feat unmatched even by icons such as Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, or Rohit Sharma.
With this knock, Padikkal now averages an astounding 83.62 in List A cricket after 38 innings, with 13 centuries and 13 half-centuries to his name, underlining his extraordinary consistency.
The Group A clash soon turned one-sided as Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal smashed his second century of the tournament (100 off 107 balls), while Padikkal scored a fluent 91 off 82 balls, guiding Karnataka to an imposing 324/7. Their 184-run partnership set the perfect platform before Rajasthan finally broke the stand through left-arm spinner Manav Sutar (2/51). Mayank’s knock included nine fours and three sixes, displaying complete domination.
Rajasthan never recovered in the chase. India pacer Prasidh Krishna ran through the batting lineup with a superb 5/36, as Rajasthan folded for 174 in 38 overs, slumping to their fifth defeat in six matches.
With their sixth consecutive win, Karnataka now lead Group A with 24 points, leaving Kerala, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh battling at 16 points each for remaining quarterfinal berths. Tamil Nadu and Tripura trail far behind with eight points each.
Padikkal’s rock-solid form has been Karnataka’s biggest strength this season, barring just one low score. His reliability at the top continues to anchor the team’s campaign and fuel their title hopes.
Kerala, Jharkhand Shine In Other Matches
Despite Sanju Samson managing only 11 runs, Vishnu Vinod produced a sensational unbeaten 162 off 84 balls, helping Kerala crush Puducherry by eight wickets. Alongside Baba Aparajith’s 63 not out, the pair added an unbeaten 222-run partnership, sealing victory with 21 overs to spare.
Meanwhile, for Jharkhand, Utkarsh Singh (3/30 & 56) and Shikhar Mohan (103 off 108) starred in a crucial two-wicket win over Madhya Pradesh, keeping them in quarterfinal contention despite captain Ishan Kishan’s early dismissal.
Brief Scores
Karnataka 324/7 (Padikkal 91, Agarwal 100; Sutar 2/51) beat Rajasthan 174 (Prasidh 5/36) by 150 runs
Tamil Nadu 259/6 beat Tripura 205 by 54 runs
Jharkhand 278/8 beat Madhya Pradesh 277 by 2 wickets
Kerala 252/2 beat Puducherry 247 by 8 wickets
With momentum, form, and depth on their side, Karnataka now stands as the strongest title contenders this season.