In the grand finale of the Cooch Behar Trophy, Karnataka witnessed an extraordinary display of cricketing prowess from their teenage sensation, Prakhar Chaturvedi. Emulating the legendary Brian Lara, Chaturvedi etched his name in history by becoming the first cricketer to amass a colossal 404 runs or more in the prestigious U-19 domestic four-day tournament final against Mumbai at the KSCA Navule Stadium in Shimoga.
The young opener’s marathon innings of 404 not out off 638 balls comprised an astonishing 46 boundaries and 3 sixes. This remarkable performance not only secured a mammoth first-innings lead for Karnataka but also propelled them to clinch the coveted title. Chaturvedi’s resilience saw him face more than 100 overs, single-handedly making the Mumbai bowlers toil over the last two days of the match.
Prakhar Chaturvedi scored 404* in 638 balls for Karnataka against Mumbai in the Final of Cooch Behar Trophy. pic.twitter.com/nNkrR5dnVo
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 15, 2024
In a demonstration of team effort, Harishil Dharmani contributed significantly with a score of 169, while Karthikeya KP added a valuable 72, providing crucial support to Chaturvedi. Karnataka amassed a colossal total of 890 for 8 in 223 overs, surpassing Mumbai’s team total of 380 by a substantial margin.
Even in the final, Rahul Dravid’s son, Samit Dravid, made a notable appearance for Karnataka, scoring 22 runs from 46 balls. On the bowling front, Mumbai’s Prem Devkar took 3 wickets, although his efforts were tested as he bowled 30 overs, conceding 136 runs. Each of the six Mumbai bowlers sent down at least 20 overs, with Akash Paawar and Mannan Bhatt shouldering a considerable workload with 45 and 47 overs respectively.
Notably, Ayush Mhatre’s impressive 145 had set the stage for Mumbai’s total of 380 in the first innings after Karnataka won the toss and chose to field. Samit Dravid also contributed with the ball, securing 2 wickets in his 19-over quota, while Hardik Raj emerged as the leading wicket-taker for Karnataka with a four-wicket haul.
The Cooch Behar Trophy, bearing the name of the Maharaja of Cooch Behar, has been an integral part of Indian domestic cricket since its inception in the 1945-46 season. Evolving from a school competition to an under-19 format, the tournament has played a pivotal role in identifying and nurturing young talents across the nation.
The live broadcast of the 2024 final allowed cricket enthusiasts to witness the awe-inspiring innings of Prakhar Chaturvedi, a potential future star in Indian cricket, further highlighting the tournament’s significance in shaping the cricketing landscape.
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