Hardik Pandya and wicket-keeper batter Jitesh Sharma were on a roll against Chandigarh for Baroda during the Vijay Hazare Trophy fixture in Rajkot as the two batters took the aggressive route and hammered the opposition all around the park.
Pandya took 19 balls to notch up his half-century and ended up getting 75 off just 31 balls, a knock decorated with 9 maximums and two fours. The right-handed batter scored runs at a strike-rate of 241.94. Apart from him, Jitesh Sharma was also on song as he hammered 73 in just 33 deliveries.
Pandya followed his 133 with a brilliant fifty as he has already struck a total of 20 maximums in two Vijay Hazare matches that he has played for Baroda. Vishnu Solanki notched up 59 off 49. Earlier, Pandya was not picked for the ODI series against New Zealand.
The board revealed that Pandya hasn’t been cleared to bowl 10 overs yet. Also, the board is managing his workload to keep him fit for the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup.
“Hardik Pandya has not been cleared by the BCCI COE to bowl 10 overs in a match, and considering the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to follow, his workload is being managed,” the BCCI said in its release.
Wicket-keeper batter Jitesh also missed out on being in the squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 squad, The selectors recalled Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh while Sanju Samson was also included in the side. Sanju is likely to open the innings with Abhishek Sharma in the marquee event.
🚨 HARDIK PANDYA SMASHED 75 RUNS FROM JUST 31 BALLS IN VIJAY HAZARE 🚨
– 133(92) in first match
– 75(31) in second match20 sixes & 11 fours in 2 matches in this season by Hardik. 🥶 pic.twitter.com/Tr5VAOqDnQ
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 8, 2026
Hardik Pandya disappointed us today 😿 pic.twitter.com/tstI2EkjBi
— Nenu (@NenuHanma) January 8, 2026
Hardik Pandya show continues in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Bro in some serious form ahead of the T20 World Cup. pic.twitter.com/RysOtB4AFQ
— R A T N I S H (@LoyalSachinFan) January 8, 2026
🚨Jitesh Sharma 73(32) with Strike Rate of 228 in today VHT 💥
Jitesh in VHT – 2, 0, 9, 8, 73(today)
Today’s knock is much needed for him as he was not in good touch through out VHT pic.twitter.com/XLzjP9Ianx
— RCB (@RCBtweetzz) January 8, 2026
Priyanshu Moliya Hits Brisk 100
Baroda were in a spot of bother after being reduced to 11/2 before Priyanshu Moliya took the onus on himself and chipped in with a quick hundred. Moliya stitched a 80-run stand with Vishnu Solanki to provide the resistance. Riding on his emphatic knock and valuable contributions from other batters, Baroda went past the 350-run mark.
