Hardik Triumphs Over Abhishek in Baroda’s High-Scoring Victory Against Punjab

The anticipation was high for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match between Baroda and Punjab, touted as the marquee event of the series. The clash pitted the seasoned Hardik Pandya against the young and fiery Abhishek Sharma.

Spectators flocked to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Tuesday, and the match lived up to expectations. Abhishek Sharma, fresh from an explosive century against Bengal, set the tone with early fireworks.

He smashed five boundaries and four sixes to bring up his fifty in just 18 balls, before being dismissed by Raj Lambani’s clever bowling. Former Sunrisers Hyderabad player Anmolpreet Singh leveraged his experience at the venue, crafting a swift 69 off 32 balls, inclusive of seven fours and four sixes, setting Punjab a formidable target of 223 runs.

Baroda’s chase was anchored by a 66-run opening partnership between Vishnu Solakni and Shashwat Rawat. Solakni’s departure brought Hardik Pandya to the crease, whose 101-run partnership with Shivalik Sharma off 60 balls maintained the momentum.

With only 13 runs needed from nine balls, Hardik unleashed back-to-back sixes, bringing Baroda within touching distance. Jitesh Sharma’s cheeky boundary finished the chase in style.

In more restrained surroundings later that day, Haryana secured a six-wicket victory over Services. Nakul Sharma’s half-century helped Services set a modest target of 158. Despite some stumbles, Ankit Kumar’s unbeaten 78 guided Haryana to their second win of the season.

Gujarat and Bengal Victorious

At the Gymkhana Ground, Gujarat’s Japagnya Bhatt and Ravi Bishnoi dismantled Pondicherry, claiming three wickets each to dismiss them for just 83 runs. Aarya Desai’s unbeaten 53 made Gujarat’s chase straightforward, winning with 11 overs to spare.

Elsewhere, Bengal recovered from a previous defeat by overcoming Himachal Pradesh. Half-centuries from Ekant Sen and Pukhraj Mann set a 209-run target. However, a 105-run partnership between Abishek Porel and Karan Lal, with Karan hitting his maiden T20 century (113 off 50 balls), ensured a five-wicket win for Bengal.

Published on Dec 02, 2025