Baroda Cruises to victory Over Kerala in Vijay Hazare Trophy
In a thrilling opening match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Baroda delivered a dominant performance, defeating Kerala by a convincing 62 runs. The match, played in Hyderabad, saw Baroda amass a formidable 403/4 in their allotted 50 overs, setting a challenging target for Kerala.
Kerala’s decision to field first proved to be a tactical misstep. While thay managed to claim an early wicket, dismissing Shaswat Rawat for a meager 10 runs, Baroda’s batting lineup responded with a flurry of remarkable performances. A crucial partnership between N.A. Rathwa (136 runs off 99 balls) and P.S. Kohli (72 runs) laid the foundation for Baroda’s massive total. The team’s captain,Krunal Pandya,further solidified their dominance with an unbeaten 80 runs off 54 balls,complemented by strong contributions from Vishnu Solanki (46 runs off 25 balls) and Bhanu Pania (37 runs off 15 balls).
Kerala’s bowling attack struggled to contain Baroda’s aggressive batting, with Sharafuddin, Aden apple Tom, and Basil Thampi each managing to take a single wicket.
Chasing a daunting 404, Kerala got off to a promising start thanks to Rohan Kunnummal (65 runs) and debutant ahmed Imran (51 runs), who put on a 113-run opening partnership. However, the rest of the batting order faltered, and only Mohammad Azharuddin managed to offer significant resistance with a spectacular 104 runs off 58 balls, an innings studded with eight fours and seven sixes. Shaun Roger (27 runs) and Sharafuddin (21 runs) were the only other notable contributors as Kerala were eventually bowled out for 341 in the 46th over.
Baroda’s bowling attack proved equally effective, with Raj Limbani, A.M. Singh, N.A. Rathwa, and Krunal pandya each claiming two wickets apiece.
The victory marks a strong start for Baroda in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, highlighting their batting prowess and well-rounded team performance. The tournament continues to unfold, promising more exciting matches and compelling displays of cricketing skill.
Baroda defeated Kerala by 62 runs in their Vijay Hazare Trophy match. [3]Baroda scored 403 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. In reply, Kerala were bowled out for 341. [3]
