Hardik Pandya Scores Maiden List A Century for Baroda

Hardik Pandya smashed his maiden List A century on Saturday, rescuing Baroda from a precarious position against Vidarbha in a Vijay Hazare Trophy group stage match at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.

The Indian allrounder walked in at number seven with Baroda reeling at 71 for five after 20 overs. Vidarbha, who won the toss and elected to field, had struck early blows through bowlers Nachiket Bhute and Yash Thakur. Openers Amit Passi fell for a duck, while Nitya Padya managed 15 off 17 balls. Priyanshu Moliya scored 16 off 24, Atit Sheth 21 off 29, and Jitesh Sharma 9 off 17 before Pandya's arrival.

Pandya began cautiously, forging a 65-run partnership with his brother and captain, Krunal Pandya, who scored 23 off 50 balls before falling to left-arm spinner Parth Rekhade in the 31st over. Pandya then accelerated alongside Vishnu Solanki, reaching his half-century off 44 balls. The turning point came in the 39th over, bowled by Rekhade, when Pandya unleashed a barrage: five consecutive sixes followed by a four, plundering 34 runs to surge from 66 off 62 balls to his century off just 68 deliveries. No other Baroda batter crossed 30 runs, underscoring Pandya's...