India’s premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya delivered a sensational performance, marking his maiden List A century on Saturday against Vidarbha in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy at the Niranjan Shah Stadium.
Pandya’s Heroics
When Pandya came to bat, Baroda was struggling at 71 for five after 20 overs. Coming in at number seven, he initially played cautiously, focusing on building a partnership. He reached his half-century in 44 balls.
Pandya then shifted gears, taking just 24 more balls to achieve a three-figure score. In a blistering 39th over, he hit 34 runs, smashing five sixes and a four in just six deliveries to complete his century in 68 balls. Ultimately, he scored 133 off 92 balls, which included an astonishing 11 sixes and eight fours. Thanks to his outstanding innings, Baroda posted a total of 293 runs in 50 overs.
Bowling Challenges
Aside from Pandya, other Baroda batters struggled against Vidarbha’s bowling attack, with no player managing to surpass 30 runs. Yash Thakur led Vidarbha’s bowlers, claiming four wickets, while Nachiket Bhute and Parth Rekhade chipped in with two wickets each.
A Milestone Match
This match marked Pandya’s first outing for Baroda this season. Across his career, he has participated in 119 List A matches, consisting of 94 ODIs for India, eight for India A, and 17 for Baroda. In List A cricket, Pandya has accumulated 2,300 runs and taken 110 wickets.
Recent Form
Pandya has been in excellent form recently, having scored 142 runs at a strike rate of 186.84 during the India vs South Africa T20I series last month. This performance stands out as a remarkable comeback after recovering from an injury that had sidelined him for over three months. With Team India set to announce their ODI squad for the New Zealand series soon, Pandya’s exceptional performance provides positive momentum for the team.