T20 World Cup-winning all-rounder not part of Baroda squad for Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25; cricketer to join team for knockouts

The 2024 T20 World Cup-winning all-rounder Hardik Pandya is not part of the Baroda team for the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, which kicked off on Saturday, December 21, across several venues. According to the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA), Pandya will join the squad from the knockout stages of the 50-over tournament, provided the side qualifies.

Baroda have been placed in Group E along with Bengal, Bihar, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh. They failed to get past the group stages last year, having finished fifth among seven teams in Group E, with three victories out of the six matches they played.

In the recently concluded 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the Krunal Pandya-led team made it to the semi-finals, where they lost to eventual winners Mumbai by six wickets at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Apart from topping their group with six wins in seven matches, they also set the world record by smashing the highest-ever team total in men's T20 cricket history. The side scored 349 for 5 against Sikkim in their final group contest at the Emerald High School Ground in Indore.

Meanwhile, confirming Hardik Pandya's availability from the knockout stages of this edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Kiran More, a member of the Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) of the BCA said (via Cricbuzz):

"He will play from the knockouts; he has informed us. He participated in all the SMAT matches, and he will play in the 50-over games too. Baroda performed well in the SMAT, reaching the semifinals, which they lost due to wet conditions in Bengaluru. Hopefully, the team will make it to the knockouts of the VHT as well."

The 31-year-old last featured in a 50-over game way back in October 2023 during India's ICC Cricket World Cup clash against Bangladesh.

Hardik Pandya scored 246 runs apart from picking up six wickets for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

Apart from scoring 246 runs at the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Hardik Pandya also picked up six wickets. He amassed two half-centuries 74* against Gujarat and 69 against Tamil Nadu and his best bowling figures in this year's tournament came up in the quarter-final clash against Bengal where he finished with the figures of 3/27.

With Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara set to host all the knockout matches starting from January 9, 2025, Baroda can make use of the home advantage and go all out for the title if they can make it to the knockouts. The final is slated to be held on Saturday, January 18, 2025.