The Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 final is set to witness a captivating contest between Vidarbha and Saurashtra on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at the BCCI Centre of Excellence grounds in Bengaluru. The tournament, the 33rd edition of India's premier List A competition, commenced on December 24, 2025, and culminates with this much-anticipated summit clash. The article accurately highlights the significance of the final for young captains Harsh Dubey of Vidarbha and Harvik Desai of Saurashtra, both of whom have a "chance to inspire" their teams to a coveted domestic title. A victory in such a high-stakes encounter could significantly boost their burgeoning careers. Saurashtra earned their spot in the final with a dominant nine-wicket victory over Punjab in the second semi-final, propelled by a sensational unbeaten knock of 165 runs from opener Vishvaraj Jadeja. Jadeja's innings was crucial in chasing down a challenging target of 292 runs. Meanwhile, Vidarbha secured their second consecutive final appearance by defeating the defending champions Karnataka by six wickets in the first semi-final. Opener Aman Mokhade was the star for Vidarbha, scoring a magnificent 138 runs. While Saurashtra will be aiming for their third Vijay Hazare Trophy title, Vidarbha will be vying for their maiden triumph in the 50-over domestic competition, having finished as runners-up in the previous edition. The final is expected to be an evenly matched encounter, with both teams having performed cohesively throughout the tournament without relying on individual superstars. The toss is anticipated to be a crucial factor due to potential dew in the second innings, favoring the team batting second. All facts presented in the original article and the related context articles have been verified against real-time information from multiple credible sources including The Hindu, Times of India, NDTV Sports, Mint, and SportsTak. The news is specific to India and falls under the Sports category, with high relevance to the Indian audience, especially cricket enthusiasts.