Baroda skipper and RCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya struck a brilliant century to led his side to a stunning 37-run win over Hyderabad in their Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2025-26 clash on December 31. Not just him, even his RCB teammate Devdutt Padikkal cracked a stellar hundred in Karnataka's victory against Puducherry.
Krunal Pandya hammers robust century for Baroda
Pandya's century powered Baroda to a massive total of 417/4 against Hyderabad. Entering the crease after a strong foundation had already been laid, Krunal played a blistering unbeaten knock of 109 runs from just 63 deliveries. His innings was a masterclass in calculated aggression, characterized by clean hitting and elite fitness that kept the Hyderabad bowlers under constant duress.
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The groundwork for this colossal total was established by a phenomenal opening stand between Nitya Pandya and Amit Pasi. The pair dismantled the Hyderabad attack with a 230-run partnership that effectively took the game away from the opposition early on. Nitya anchored the innings with a composed 122 off 110 balls, while Pasi acted as the primary aggressor, smashing 127 runs off a mere 93 deliveries.
Baroda maintained their relentless momentum even after the openers departed. Despite a brief period where two wickets fell in quick succession, Krunal Pandya found a reliable partner in Bhanu Pania to prevent any loss of rhythm. Together, they shared an unbroken 115-run stand, with Pania contributing a quick-fire 42* off 27 balls to help the team finish with an imposing run rate of 8.34 per over.
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Hyderabad's brave fightback, Baroda's last laugh
In reply, Hyderabad did put up a fight chasing a daunting total. They rode on Abhirath Reddy's 130 and Pragnay Reddy's 113 after losing openers Aman Rao and Tanmay Agarwal cheaply. However, Atit Sheth and Mahesh Pithiya's terrific three-fers thwarted Hyderabad's chase and folded them for 380.