Devdutt Padikkal continues his purple patch in the ongoing 2025/26 season of the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) as he racks his fifth fifty-plus score in six innings when Karnataka took on Rajasthan at the Gujarat College ground in Ahmedabad on January 06. The left-handed batter missed from what could have been his fifth century of the edition. 

Opening the batting for Karnataka, Devdutt fell for 91 against the left-arm spinner, Manav Suthar, as his knock was well decorated with 12 boundaries and a couple of sixes at a strike rate of 110.98. He has now celebrated 13 centuries in 34 innings, which is a staggering record in the domestic 50-over event in India.

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This record has only been overtaken by Maharashtra’s Ankit Bawne, who has 15 centuries in 99 games and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has notched up 14 centuries in 57 clashes while Padikkal is still set for a fresh record in a tournament having crossed the 600 run mark in just six innings of the season.

Devdutt Padikkal completes 600 runs in VHT 2025/26

The opening batter for Karnataka made his List A debut in 2018 and has gone on a tear in the tournament, having notched up 609 runs in 11 innings in only his second season in the 2019-20 edition. In the following season of the tournament, he backed it up with a sensational 737 runs in eight innings, which was decorated with four consecutive hundreds.

With over 600 runs in six innings of this ongoing season, Padikkal becomes the first batter in the history of the Vijay Hazare Trophy to accumulate as many runs in a season thrice in their career. His List-A average currently stands at 83.62 across 38 innings, which is the highest for any batter who has over 2000 runs in this format.

Rudraksh Gaikwad follows Particle with an average of 57.69, while Brad Cohen averages 57.67 for his massive record of 16000+ List-A runs. Despite the record, he hasn’t been selected for the New Zealand series, but he has already knocked on the door of the selectors.

Brief Scores: Karnataka 271/5 (Mayanak Agarwal 100, Devdutt Padikkal 91, Manav Suthar 2/47) vs Rajasthan. 

South Africa’s famous chase of 435 against Australia in the Johannesburg ODI now has company. Karnataka chased down a huge target of 413 against Jharkhand in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy on Wednesday, December 24.

This is only the second time in List A cricket history that a target of more than 400 has been successfully chased. Karnataka completed the second-highest chase in the format’s history with five wickets in hand and 15 balls remaining.

Openers Devdutt Padikkal and captain Mayank Agarwal gave the chase a strong start. They attacked the bowlers from the beginning and added 114 runs for the first wicket in just 11.5 overs before Mayank got out.

Padikkal stayed till the end, while the other batters supported him well. Karun Nair scored 29 off 27 balls, Smaran Ravichandran made 27 off 21, and KL Shrijith added 38 off 32 balls. The lower-middle order then finished the chase calmly.

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🚨 KARNATAKA CHASE DOWN 413 RUNS AGAINST JHARKHAND 🥶💥

Devdutt Padikkal - 147(118)
Abhinav Manohar - 56*(32)
Mayank Agarwal - 54(34)
Dhruv Prabhakar - 40*(22)

One of the Craziest chases ever in Vijay Hazare Trophy history. pic.twitter.com/lx5O4KHNzb

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 24, 2025

Manohar and Prabhakar finish the chase

Abhinav Manohar and Dhruv Prabhakar came together after Devdutt Padikkal was out in the 41st over at a crucial stage. Karnataka needed more than 80 runs in the last nine overs with five wickets in hand. The duo stayed calm and played attacking knocks.

Manohar scored 56 runs off 32 balls, hitting eight fours and one six. Prabhakar supported him well with 40 runs off 22 balls, which included six fours and one six. Their partnership helped Karnataka chase down 413 with 15 balls remaining.

Second-highest run chase in List A history

This chase is now the second-highest successful run chase in List A cricket history. The record is still held by South Africa, who chased 435 against Australia in 2006.

Highest run chases in List A cricket history:

1. 435 – South Africa vs Australia, Johannesburg (2005/06)
2. 413 – Karnataka vs Jharkhand, Ahmedabad (2025)
3. 399 – Queensland vs Tasmania, Sydney (2014/15)
4. 392 – Karachi vs Sialkot, Sialkot (2003/04)
5. 388 – Middlesex vs Durham, Chester-le-Street (2025)

Bengaluru could be back at the centre of the Indian Premier League spotlight, with the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) formally requesting the BCCI to stage the opening match of the upcoming IPL season in the city. KSCA President and former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad has confirmed that serious discussions are already underway and that both the BCCI and the Karnataka government have shown positive intent.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Prasad said Bengaluru’s case is strengthened by tradition, as the IPL opener is usually hosted at the home ground of the defending champions. Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted the IPL trophy last season, making the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium the natural choice for the curtain-raiser.

However, uncertainty had clouded the venue after a tragic stampede during RCB’s victory celebrations in June, which claimed 11 lives. Following the incident, cricket matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium were suspended due to safety concerns, and the venue even lost the chance to host a Women’s World Cup match.

Government green signal boosts Bengaluru’s hopes of hosting IPL opener

That situation now appears to be changing. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar recently announced that cricket matches will be allowed at the stadium with strict safety measures in place. Prasad said both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have given a “green signal” for hosting matches, while discussions have also taken place with Home Minister G. Parameshwara regarding security arrangements.

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Prasad added that the KSCA is awaiting written permission from the state government, although oral assurances have already been given. He noted that the BCCI sees the government’s approval as a key requirement and has responded positively to the proposal.

Beyond the IPL opener, Prasad reaffirmed that Bengaluru will continue to host IPL, international and domestic matches across formats. He also confirmed that Virat Kohli is expected to visit the city for Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, with venues yet to be finalised.

If approvals fall into place, Bengaluru could soon reclaim its place as the ceremonial starting point of the IPL, offering fans a much-awaited return to high-profile cricket at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The 4th edition of the Maharaja Cup faces uncertainty as the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) awaits police clearance from the Karnataka police to host the state franchise-based T20 competition at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The tournament is planned to run from August 11 to August 27. 

The clearance has not been obtained due to an ongoing investigation into the June 4 stampede killings, which occurred during RCB's victory parade day, outside the stadium premises. Large swaths of crowds gathered in the vicinity of the stadium in uncontrollable numbers, which quickly overwhelmed the law enforcement authorities, leading to the death of 11 innocent civilians. 

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KSCA on the lookout for alternative venues

In light of the tragic stampede incident, KSCA had previously announced that the Maharaja Cup would be held behind closed doors. Realising that the ongoing investigation would at some point act as a hurdle, KSCA had already made up its mind to shift the tournament outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium. 

Alternative venues such as the Alur Cricket Ground, which is situated on the outskirts of the city, as well as the Wadeyar Ground in Mysuru, are being considered by the association at this stage. Though Alur is equipped with excellent drainage and infrastructure, the stadium lacks adequate seating capacity, and the lack of floodlights further adds to its woes. 

However, the Women's Maharani T20 Cup will go ahead as planned, and the Alur Cricket Ground will play host to all the fixtures. There was a proposal to host the final at  Chinnaswamy Stadium, but that seems highly unlikely with police approvals yet to come. Franchises have expressed their grievances to the governing body and have warned that the teams could face severe financial loss. Prior hotel bookings near the city center were made with the understanding that the tournament would be staged at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

This obstacle puts KSCA in a tight spot. The ongoing probe into the stampede killing can further jeopardize KSCA's ability to host future tournaments such as the Women's ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to begin on September 30.

On June 4, 2025, Bengaluru witnessed history as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) claimed their first IPL title after an 18-year wait. The win ignited wild celebrations outside of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, with thousands of fans and supporters coming to join in the celebrations. But the celebrations soon took a dark turn when there was a stampede near Gate 7, where 11 people were killed and dozens injured, including some teenagers.

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar was very saddened by the event, and he condoled the bereaved families. In his Mid-Day column, Gavaskar pondered how the long wait for RCB's first championship made the emotions of fans so much more heightened. He noted how if RCB had won in previous seasons, the celebrations would not have been so rabid. "If RCB had won the trophy in the initial years, there would not have been this flood of emotion," he said, pointing towards the special emotional frenzy in this victory.

"What a tragedy," Gavaskar lamented. “All those people wanted was a glimpse of the players… maybe even a quick photo with them. Haven’t we all been fans of someone before… and wanted to see them and have a brief hello?” He was admitting that fans had assembled innocently, anticipating these moments with their heroes, but regretting how a celebration that was full of joy was full of chaos and loss. He stressed that while passion is natural, it needs to be balanced with caution to avoid such heartbreaking outcomes.

The Need for Responsible Celebrations and Better Crowd Management

Gavaskar called on organizers, officials, and supporters to reflect on this disaster and make sure that future celebrations for sport would consider safe environments first. He stressed the responsibility to implement proper crowd control measures, discipline, and planning, and to avoid the stampede risk involved in large public gatherings. Gavaskar remarked, enthusiasm can be a peril unless it is managed.

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This tragic episode serves as a powerful reminder that sporting triumphs, though joyous, must never come at the cost of human lives. As the cricketing community mourns the loss, Gavaskar’s reflections urge a shift towards safer, more structured celebrations that honor both the spirit of the game and the well-being of its fans.