In a day packed with stellar individual performances in the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh delivered a masterclass, while Hardik Pandya's heroic century ended in defeat. The domestic one-day tournament witnessed several high-octane clashes across groups, setting the stage for an intense race to the knockout stages.
Arshdeep Singh's Fiery Spell Propels Punjab to Top
On a memorable day that began with his selection in India's ODI squad for the New Zealand series, Arshdeep Singh produced a devastating bowling performance. Playing for Punjab in a Group C match in Jaipur, the pace spearhead ripped through the Sikkim batting line-up, claiming brilliant figures of 5 for 34 in his 10 overs. His incisive spell bundled out Sikkim for a paltry 75 runs in just 22.2 overs.
Punjab's chase was a mere formality. Opening batter Prabsimran Singh unleashed an aggressive, unbeaten 53 off only 26 balls, guiding his team to 81 for no loss in a mere 6.2 overs. This comprehensive 10-wicket victory propelled Punjab to the top of the Group C standings on net run-rate. The side was, however, without their regular captain Shubman Gill, who was reportedly sidelined due to food poisoning.
Hardik Pandya's Valiant Century in a Losing Cause
In a Group B clash at Rajkot's Niranjan Shah Stadium, Hardik Pandya played a breathtaking innings, but it was not enough to secure a win for Baroda against Vidarbha. Walking in to bat at a precarious 71 for 5, the star all-rounder counter-attacked in spectacular fashion. He smashed a maiden List A century, scoring 133 runs off just 92 deliveries. His knock was laced with 8 fours and 11 towering sixes, powering Baroda to a competitive total of 293 for 9.
Vidarbha's response, however, was dominant. Opener Aman Mokhade outshone Pandya with a magnificent, unbeaten 150 off 121 balls. He shared a massive, unbroken 169-run partnership for the second wicket with Dhruv Shorey (65 not out), steering Vidarbha to a commanding 9-wicket victory with 296 for 1 in 41.4 overs.
Axar Patel, Rishabh Pant Shine with the Bat
Elsewhere, Axar Patel led from the front with a brilliant all-round display for Gujarat in their Group D match against Andhra in Alur. The seasoned campaigner first scored a crucial 130 off 111 balls, hitting 10 fours and 5 sixes. Supported by Vishal Jayswal's 70, he helped Gujarat post 318 for 9. Later, with the ball, he took 2 for 27 in 6 overs, combining with Ravi Bishnoi (3/64) to restrict Andhra to 311 for 7, securing a narrow 7-run win despite a century from CR Gnaneshwar (102).
In Bengaluru, Rishabh Pant, fresh from his ODI recall, found sublime form. He remained not out on 67 off just 37 balls, sharing an unbroken 78-run stand with Priyansh Arya (72 not out), as Delhi chased down Services' target of 179 with 8 wickets and plenty of overs to spare.
Other Notable Results
In a high-scoring Group C encounter in Jaipur, Maharashtra inflicted Mumbai's first loss of the campaign, winning by 128 runs. Arshin Kulkarni's 114, along with quick fifties from Ruturaj Gaikwad (66) and Ramakrishna Ghosh (64*), propelled Maharashtra to 366 for 4. Mumbai, despite 92 from Angkrish Raghuvanshi, were bowled out for 238.
Other brief scores from the day:
- Group A (Ahmedabad): Rajasthan 225 beat Tamil Nadu 215.
- Group B (Rajkot): Bengal 302/7 beat Assam 217.
- Group C (Jaipur): Chhattisgarh 321/7 beat Himachal Pradesh 320/8.
- Group D (Alur): Saurashtra 294/8 beat Railways 263.
The day's action solidified the tournament's reputation as a crucial proving ground for national contenders and emerging talents alike, with several players making strong statements ahead of the national team selection.
