VHT 2023, Kerala, Bengal progress to the quarter-finals: Key stats
Kerala and Bengal outfoxed their opposition Maharashtra and Gujarat respectively in the 2023 Vijay Hazare Trophy preliminary quarter-finals. Kerala will now feature against Rajasthan while Bengal will take on Haryana in the upcoming VHT quarter-finals. There were plenty of exceptional performances with bat and ball in both matches as the winning teams will aim to carry forward this form in the upcoming games.
Summary of the Kerala vs Maharashtra clash
Kerala had a brilliant start as their openers, Rohan Kunnummal and Krishan Prasad slammed massive tons and added 218 runs together. Later, Vishnu Vinod and Abdul Basith added the finishing touches as Kerala posted 383/4. In reply, Maharashtra also had a positive start with Om Bhosale (78) and Kushal Tambe (50) adding 139 runs. Later, wickets kept falling and they fell 153 runs short.
Kunnummal slams a fantastic ton against Maharashtra
Kerala opener Kunnummal was exceptional as he hammered a 95-ball 120. Before this knock, he had a very below-par tournament without scoring a single 50-plus score. However, he stepped up in a crucial clash while stitching a 218-run partnership with Krishna Prasad. The 25-year-old dasher has amassed 1,262 runs from 30 matches at an average in excess of 45.
Maiden List A ton for Krishna Prasad
Both Kerala openers, Kunnummal and Prasad were at their brilliant best with twin tons. Prasad, who was playing his third List A match, slammed his maiden century. He smashed a 144 while adding 218 runs with Kunnummal followed by a 74-run partnership with Sanju Samson. He has compiled 211 runs in three List A matches after making his debut in 2023 VHT against Sikkim.
Shreyas Gopal claims 4/35 against Maharashtra
Kerala spinner Shreyas Gopal bowled brilliantly to restrict Maharashtra to only 230 while they were chasing 384. The 30-year-old spinner broke the partnership between Bhosale and Tambe as he dismissed the former and ran out the latter. He also deceived the likes of Nikhil Naik, Ramakrishna Ghosh and Manoj Ingale. Gopal has now claimed 100 wickets in List A cricket from 63 matches.
Maharashtra's biggest defeat in List A cricket
Maharashtra's defeat against Kerala in the preliminary quarter-final of the 2023 VHT by 153 runs is their biggest defeat in this format. Incidentally, this is also Kerala's biggest win in List A cricket by the margin of runs.
Summary of the match between Gujarat and Bengal
Batting first, Gujarat rode on Priyank Panchal's century while Saurav Chauhan (53) and Umang Kumar (65) also made valuable contributions. They helped Gujarat reach 283/9. Suman Das and Pradipta Pramanik scalped two wickets each. In reply, Bengal lost Shakir Gandhi early but Abishek Porel and Sudip Gharami added 76 runs before the latter joined Anustup Majumdar and stitched a 209-run partnership, steering Bengal home.
A captain's knock from Panchal
Panchal slammed his eighth ton in List A cricket, having hammered a 96 in the preceding game against Himachal Pradesh. His 101 from 114 deliveries kept the Gujarat innings together. The veteran played a pivotal role in stitching a 94-run stand with Chauhan. The duo helped Gujarat reach a decent total. Panchal has amassed 3,672 runs in 97 List A matches.
A match-winning knock from Gharami
Gharami was sensational with a captain's knock as he hammered a brilliant 132-ball 117* against Gujarat in the preliminary quarter-final clash. He stitched two crucial partnerships with Abishek and later with Majumdar, taking Bengal home in a tricky run chase. Playing his 13th List A match, he has amassed 656 runs, slamming his third century in this format.
Majumdar hammers his seventh List A hundred
Veteran batter, Majumdar gave Gharami the support which he needed after Abishek's dismissal. They both added 209 runs together and complimented each other brilliantly. The 39-year-old used all his experience and targetted the right bowlers to smash an unbeaten 88-ball 102. Notably, this was his seventh List A century. He has amassed 2,755 runs in 87 matches at an average in excess of 42.
