India’s star all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, showcased an outstanding performance by scoring his first List A century for Baroda against Vidarbha in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Pandya’s remarkable knock came when Baroda was struggling at 71 for five, with him entering the crease at number seven. Initially playing cautiously, he reached his half-century in 44 balls before accelerating to complete his century in just 68 balls, including 11 sixes and eight fours. His aggressive innings of 133 off 92 deliveries propelled Baroda to a total of 293 runs in 50 overs.
Despite Pandya’s heroics, the rest of Baroda’s batting lineup struggled against Vidarbha’s bowlers, failing to surpass 30 runs individually. Vidarbha’s Yash Thakur stood out with a four-wicket haul, supported by Nachiket Bhute and Parth Rekhade, who claimed two wickets each. This match marked Pandya’s first appearance for Baroda this season, adding to his impressive record of 119 List A matches, including ODIs for India, India A, and Baroda, where he has amassed 2,300 runs and taken 110 wickets.
Hardik Pandya’s recent stellar form, highlighted by his exceptional performance in the India vs. South Africa T20I series, where he scored 142 runs at a strike rate of 186.84, signals a strong comeback post-injury. His current run of success bodes well for Team India as they prepare to announce their ODI squad for the upcoming New Zealand series, with Pandya’s contributions proving vital to the team’s prospects.
