In a recent face-off in the Group D Vijay Hazare Trophy, Rajasthan clinched a decisive five-wicket win against Gujarat, thanks to stellar performances by Deepak Hooda and Deepak Chahar. The encounter, which took place at the Sector-26 Cricket Ground in Chandigarh on Saturday, saw Chahar’s six-wicket haul for 41 runs play a pivotal role in dismissing Gujarat for a meager 128 runs in 29 overs.
During the chase, Rajasthan found itself in a spot of bother at 18 for 4, but it was Hooda who came to the rescue with a composed and gritty 76 not out off 79 deliveries, which included eight fours and three sixes. His effort ensured that Rajasthan crossed the finish line in just 28.4 overs.
Elsewhere in Group A, Mumbai, despite grappling with adverse weather interrupting their gameplay, still managed to notch an eight-wicket triumph over Kerala. Mumbai’s success was facilitated by Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s swift 57 off 47 balls and skipper Ajinkya Rahane’s unbeaten 34 off 20 balls, that Powered Mumbai to chase down a revised target of 159 in only 24.2 overs according to the VJD method. Kerala’s innings was bolstered early on by Sachin Baby scoring 104 and Sanju Samson contributing 55, helping them achieve a total of 231 before getting bowled out.
In Group C, Delhi cruised to an easy win over Mizoram with the help of leg-spinner Suyash Sharma’s impressive four wickets for 25 runs and Himmat Singh’s rapid half-century. The Delhi outfit comfortably overhauled their target in a mere 17 overs, marking an eight-wicket victory.
Moreover, Haryana’s match against Bihar saw them walk away with a thumping 10-wicket win. The Haryana bowlers, led by Harshal Patel with figures of 4/49, and SP Kumar with 3/25, managed to skittle out Bihar for 112. Openers Yuvraj Singh and Ankit Kumar struck half-centuries to seal the deal for Haryana within 20 overs.
In another game, B Sai Sudarshan’s impressive knock of 125 off 144 balls was the cornerstone of Tamil Nadu’s innings as they set a formidable 296/8 against Goa. Pacer Sandeep Warrier contributed significantly with the ball, taking 4 for 20 to dismantle Goa’s batting. Ultimately, Tamil Nadu emerged victorious by a margin of 33 runs.
The tournament witnessed several other interesting matchups, including Bengal’s win over Baroda by 95 runs, courtesy of Abhimanyu Easwaran’s scintillating 141. Uttar Pradesh, on the other hand, managed to edge out Himachal Pradesh thanks to a commanding century by Swastik.
These matches demonstrate the competitive nature of the Vijay Hazare Trophy and suggest that the teams are building strong momentum as they gear up for more challenges ahead. As players like Hooda and Chahar continue to shine, they bolster their white-ball credentials and showcase the depth of talent in Indian domestic cricket. Fans and followers of the sport can stay updated on all the action and future schedules of the World Cup 2023 by following updates on social media or through the NDTV Cricket app.