Vijay Hazare: MP spin out Kerala in a thrilling chase

Bhopal: Himanshu Mantri's resolute 93 anchored Madhya Pradesh to a hard-fought 47-run victory over Kerala in a low-scoring Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite Group A encounter at Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday, bolstering their campaign with a consecutive third win.Mantri once again missed out on claiming his second List-A century, falling short just as he did in the previous game against Tamil Nadu, where he was dismissed after scoring 90. His consistent form continues to impress, but luck seems to elude him at the crucial milestone.Kerala skipper Rohan S Kunnummal won the toss and opted to bowl, a decision that initially paid dividends as their spinners tore into MP's top order. His consistent form continues to impress, but luck seems to elude him at the crucial milestone.Kerala skipper Rohan S Kunnummal won the toss and opted to bowl, a decision that initially paid dividends as their spinners tore into MP's top order.From a precarious 78 for five, Mantri steadied the ship with a gritty knock off 105 balls, featuring seven fours. His partnerships with lower-order batsmen, including Tripuresh Singh's explosive 37 off 25 (three fours, one six), propelled MP to 214 all out in 46.1 overs.Kerala's spin duo shone brightly. Ankit Sharma, the left-arm orthodox, claimed a match-hauling 4 for 38, dismissing Yash Dubey, Harsh Gawli, Shubham Sharma, and Rahul Batham. Aparajith supported with 3 for 36, removing Saransh Jain, Shivang Kumar, and Aryan Pandey. MD Nidheesh chipped in with 1 for 35.Chasing 215, Kerala faltered against MP's disciplined attack. Openers Kunnummal (19) and K Prasad (4) provided starts. Except Nazir (30) and Sharafuddin (42) other batsmen falters as they slumped to 167 all out in 40.1 overs. Saransh Jain struck twice early, including Kunnummal and Ankit Sharma, while Aryan Pandey, Kumar Kartikeya, and Tripuresh Singh shared the spoils with tight lines.MP's bowlers exploited Kerala's rash shots on a turning track, defending the modest total with ease. Mantri's near-century proved decisive, highlighting MP's resilience in domestic cricket's marquee limited-overs tournament.