All-rounder Hardik Pandya made a strong return to the T20 format in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after his injury break. Representing Baroda, he scored an unbeaten 77 and also picked a crucial wicket, helping the team secure a seven-wicket win against Punjab. He was named the Player of the Match as Baroda successfully chased down the 223-run target with seven wickets and five balls to spare.
Hardik was out of action after suffering a left-quadriceps injury during the Asia Cup 2025. This was his first competitive match since then. His innings included seven boundaries and four sixes at a strike rate of 183.33. He also stitched an important 101-run partnership with Shivalik Sharma (57), which helped Baroda finish the game in 19.1 overs. For Punjab, Ashwani Kumar and Ramandeep Singh managed to pick one wicket each.
Earlier, Punjab started well with captain Abhishek Sharma scoring a quick half-century in just 19 balls. AnmolpreetSingh was the top scorer with 69 off 32 balls. Naman Dhir added 39 runs, while Prabhsimran Singh, Nehal Wadhera, and Sanvir Singh scored 16 each. For Baroda, Raj Limbani was the pick of the bowlers, while Hardik, Rasikh Salam, and Atit Sheth took one wicket each.
With this win, both Baroda and Punjab are on eight points. In Group C, Punjab are placed third with a net run rate of 2.279, while Baroda sit fifth with a net run rate of -0.083.
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