Which team clinched the Irani Cup 2019 cricket title?

Introduction / Context:
The Irani Cup is an important fixture in Indian domestic cricket. It is traditionally played between the winners of the Ranji Trophy and a Rest of India team, and it serves as a prestigious season opener or finisher, showcasing top domestic talent. Knowing which team won recent editions of the Irani Cup is useful for competitive exams that test sports awareness. This question asks you to identify the team that clinched the Irani Cup title in 2019, a year when a rising domestic powerhouse continued its strong performance.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The competition is the Irani Cup in Indian domestic cricket.
• The year in question is 2019.
• The options are Rest of India, Bombay, Vidarbha, and Karnataka.
• We assume standard tournament results as recognised by Indian domestic cricket records.

Concept / Approach:
The concept relates to recent dominance by certain domestic teams. Vidarbha emerged as a strong force in Indian domestic cricket by winning the Ranji Trophy and then performing well in the Irani Cup. Around 2019, Vidarbha, as Ranji champions, faced Rest of India and managed to clinch the Irani Cup title. Bombay (now Mumbai) and Karnataka have a rich history in domestic cricket but did not win the Irani Cup in that specific year. Rest of India represents a combined team and sometimes wins, but in 2019 the title went to Vidarbha. The correct approach is to recall Vidarbha run of success around 2018 and 2019 and connect it with the Irani Cup victory in 2019.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall which team was dominating Indian domestic cricket around the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Step 2: Note that Vidarbha won back to back Ranji Trophy titles and then carried that form into the Irani Cup. Step 3: Remember that in the Irani Cup match in 2019, Vidarbha, as Ranji champions, faced Rest of India and secured the title. Step 4: Compare all options and recognise that Bombay (Mumbai) and Karnataka have historic titles but are not linked with the 2019 Irani Cup win. Step 5: Choose Vidarbha as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
A useful verification method is to think about news headlines from that period. Reports highlighted Vidarbha as a new powerhouse in domestic cricket, celebrating their twin achievements of Ranji Trophy wins and Irani Cup titles. Rest of India was often mentioned as the losing side in those articles. There was no major coverage of Mumbai or Karnataka winning the Irani Cup that specific year. This consistent association of Vidarbha with domestic success at that time confirms that Vidarbha is the correct option for Irani Cup 2019.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Rest of India: This combined team participates in the Irani Cup but did not clinch the title in 2019; instead, they were the opponents defeated by Vidarbha.

Bombay (Mumbai): Historically successful in domestic cricket, but not the holders of the Irani Cup 2019 title.

Karnataka: Another strong domestic side with previous titles, but Karnataka did not win the Irani Cup in the 2019 edition mentioned in this question.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may instinctively choose Rest of India because the name suggests a combined strong team, or they may pick older powerhouses like Mumbai or Karnataka out of habit. The key is to pay attention to the specific year and to remember that the late 2010s saw the rise of Vidarbha as a champion side. Organising domestic cricket knowledge year wise, rather than relying only on traditional big names, helps prevent such mistakes in sports GK questions.

Final Answer:
The team that clinched the Irani Cup 2019 title was Vidarbha, so option C is correct.