Hardik Pandya Fires Again in VHT, Smashes Blistering Fifty Against Chandigarh

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been a part of just two matches in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26, yet he has delivered one of the most memorable individual performances of the season with a sensational knock for Baroda against Vidarbha and Chandigarh, showcasing his ability to change the course of a match single-handedly.

In Baroda’s Group B Vijay Hazare Trophy encounter against Chandigarh, Hardik Pandya again showed the cricketing fraternity why he is considered among the most dangerous batsmen in the world. This match against Chandigarh is Baroda's last group stage match and they need to win this match by a big margin and then rely on the performance of other teams in the group to secure their qualification as three teams are on the same points in Elite Group B in the Vijay Hazare Trophy points table.

Hardik Pandya Vijay Hazare Trophy Excellence Continues

Taking responsibility as the senior player in the Baroda vs Chandigarh Vijay Hazare Trophy match, Pandya made an immediate impact with the bat, unleashing an incredible half-century in just 19 balls. He ended up scoring 75 runs off just 31 balls with nine sixes and two fours. After reaching his ultra-quick fifty, he raised the bat to the crowd and made a gesture towards Maheika Sharma, who was there in the stands to support him.

His performance has provided the base to Baroda's innings, and the team is all set for a massive total against Chandigarh. The Baroda vs Chandigarh VHT game is an extremely important game. Baroda need to win this match by a decent margin so that they can improve their net run rate, which will be the decisive factor in Elite Group B. Only one team out of Baroda, Vidarbha and Bengal is going to make it to the knockouts alongside Uttar Pradesh from this group.

Hardik Pandya Takes Baroda Out of Trouble

In his previous match, Hardik Pandya walked in with his side struggling at 71 for 5 and started a counter-attack, smashing 133 off just 93 deliveries, his innings included 11 sixes and eight fours, which took Baroda to a strong total of 293 for 9 against Vidarbha at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. Hardik Pandya Baroda form has helped his team in a tremendous way so far.

The match-defining moment of his innings came in the 39th over, when he brought carnage against spinner Parth Rekhade for 34 runs in an over, smashing five successive sixes and a four, that took his individual score from 66 to a century in a span of 6 balls. It was Pandya’s first-ever List A hundred, achieved in his 119th appearance in the format.