VHT 2025-26: Padikkal slams blistering ton as Karnataka pull off second-highest successful run-chase in List A cricket
Devdutt Padikkal smashed a sensational hundred as Karnataka completed the second-highest chase in the history of List-A cricket, chasing down 413 against Jharkhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
New Delhi: Karnataka pulled off the second-highest successful chase in the history of List-A cricket, chasing down the target of 413 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy clash against Jharkhand at the Narendra Modi Stadium Ground B in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
After being asked to bat first, Jharkhand got off to a poor start as Vidyadhar Patil removed Utkarsh Singh for 8 runs. After his dismissal, Shikhar Mohan and Shubh Sharma stitched a 52-run partnership for the second wicket.
Shikhar looked in good touch, but Shubh struggled to score runs at the other end and was finally dismissed by Shreyas Gopal for 15 off 37. Abhilash Shetty then removed Shikhar for 44 as Jharkhand stumbled to 110/3 in 24 overs.
Kushagra and Virat Singh then batted brilliantly, forging a 129-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Kushagra scored 63 runs off 47 deliveries with the help of three boundaries and five maximums, while Virat scored 88 runs off 68 balls.
Ishan Kishan smashes record-breaking century
Skipper Ishan Kishan walked out to bat at No.6 and stitched crucial partnerships with Virat and Anukul Roy to help Jharkhand post a massive target of 413 runs in 50 overs. He smashed a 33-ball century for Jharkhand, which is the second-fastest by an Indian player in List A cricket.
His ton was just one ball slower than Bihar captain Sakibul Gani’s 32-ball century against Arunachal Pradesh, which was also recorded earlier on Wednesday. Just last week, the wicketkeeper-batter earned a surprise recall to the Indian team for the 2026 T20 World Cup, days after captaining Jharkhand to its maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title.
Padikkal shines as Karnataka chase second-highest successful target in List A cricket
Chasing the target, Karnataka opener Mayank Agarwal and Devdutt Padikkal forged a 144-run partnership for the first wicket. Saurabh Shekhar dismissed Mayank for 54 runs, while Utkarsh Singh removed Karun Nair for 29 runs.
But Padikkal scored 147 runs from 118 deliveries with the help of 10 boundaries and seven maximums. Abhinav Manohar also struck a half-century, while Dhruv Prabhakar amassed an unbeaten 40 on his List-A debut. The highest run-chase in List-A cricket remains South Africa’s 435 against Australia in Johannesburg in 2005.
Highest chases in List-A cricket
South Africa - 435 vs Australia (Johannesburg, 2006)
Karnataka - 413 vs Jharkhand (Ahmedabad, 2025)
Queensland - 399 vs Tasmania (North Sydney, 2014)
Karachi - 392 vs Sialkot (Sialkot, 2004)
Middlesex - 388 vs Durham (Chester-le-Street, 2025)