Karnataka arrive at this semi-final having demonstrated the kind of batting authority that turns group stages into processions. Five consecutive wins to start the
Vijay Hazare Trophy, each one punctuated by runs accumulated at tempo. In their most recent outing before the quarter-final, they posted 363, a total made feasible not by one extravagant innings but by a collective understanding of how to press an advantage. That 412-run shootout they found themselves on the wrong side of feels less revealing than the pattern that preceded it:
Karnataka bat with structure and patience until neither is required anymore.
Vidarbha's journey through the tournament has been altogether different, defined less by control than by survival. They've won just twice in their eight matches, conceding totals of 365, 315, and 308 along the way. What stands out to me is how narrow some of their defeats have been—a three-run chase completed against them, a four-run margin elsewhere—suggesting they possess the ability to compete deep into innings without quite closing them out. That 339 they made on January 6th, one of only two victories, hints at what's possible when their batting clicks. But it's been sporadic.
The contrast in consistency matters more than any single result.
Karnataka's quarter-final was a low-scoring affair where they chased down 208, proof they can adjust when conditions tighten.
Vidarbha, meanwhile, absorbed back-to-back heavy defeats just before the knockouts—first bowled out for 224, then 148. The momentum heading into a semi-final rarely lies with a side that's been chasing shadows in its most recent performances.
Still, knockout cricket has its own rhythm.
Vidarbha wouldn't be here if they lacked resilience, and their two wins this tournament came when batting first allowed them to set terms. But
Karnataka's combination of high-scoring firepower and recent composure under pressure makes them difficult to overlook. This feels less like a toss-up and more like a test of whether
Vidarbha can summon their best version at precisely the right moment. The likelihood is that
Karnataka's consistency carries them through.
