Urvil Patil’s Fireworks Propel Gujarat; Abishek Karan Shines as Bengal Dominates Baroda

The Hyderabad leg of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy kicked off in spectacular fashion, driven by an outstanding performance from Gujarat’s captain, Urvil Patel. Known for his prowess in domestic cricket, the Chennai Super Kings player dismantled the Services’ bowling lineup at the Gymkhana Ground with ease.

Patel’s partnership of 174 runs with Aarya Desai set the stage for Gujarat’s straightforward eight-wicket victory in their Group C match, which was achieved in just 12.3 overs. Urvil Patel remained not out, scoring 119 from 37 deliveries, including 12 fours and 10 sixes.

Later in the day, Pondicherry and Haryana engaged in a thrilling contest at the same venue. Akash Pugazhendi’s quickfire 60 from 23 balls helped Pondicherry set a target of 202 runs.

In another match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, both Abhishek Sharma and Mohammed Shami made their return to a venue they knew well. However, Abhishek couldn’t make a lasting impact as Punjab defeated Himachal Pradesh by five wickets.

Shami, who found it challenging during the IPL 2025 with Sunrisers Hyderabad, struggled in his return to Hyderabad (4-0-39-1), although Bengal secured a six-wicket win against Baroda.

Crucial to Bengal’s victory was pacer Writtick Chatterjee, who rebounded after an expensive first over. Adjusting from the pavilion end under the lights, he gave away just 15 runs in his subsequent three overs and took two wickets.

Baroda’s Bhanu Pania remained unbeaten with a 53-run knock from 27 balls, helping his team set a target of 182, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win.

Abhishek Porel and Karan Lal’s powerful 82-run partnership eased the pressure on Bengal early in their chase against Baroda. Porel’s off-side sixes combined with Lal’s leg-side shots showcased a well-rounded attack. Shahbaz Ahmed and Sudip Kumar Gharmi then concluded the match with a 66-run partnership from 39 balls in the 18th over, much to the satisfaction of the fans present.

Scores Summary:

• Services 182/9 in 20 overs (Gaurav Kochar 60); Gujarat 183/2 in 12.3 overs (Aarya Desai 60, Urvil Patel 119*).
• Pondicherry 201/9 in 20 overs (Ajay Rohera 33, Akash Pugazhendi 60, Aman Khan 35, Samant Jakhar 3/24); Haryana 196/6 in 20 overs (Arsh Ranga 90, Yashvardhan Dalal 52, Nishant Sindhu 33, Aman Khan 4/28).
• Himachal Pradesh 147/8 in 20 overs (Innesh Mahajan 33, N.R. Gangta 35*); Punjab 153/5 in 13.5 overs (Anmolpreet Singh 43, Salil Arora 36).
• Baroda 181/8 in 20 overs (Shivalik Sharma 32, Krunal Pandya 39, Bhanu Pania 53); Bengal 182/4 in 17.1 overs (Abhishek Porel 50, Karan Lal 42, Shahbaz Ahmed 38).

Published on November 26, 2025.