India's premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya once again showcased his explosive power with the bat, leading Baroda to a nail-biting 3-wicket victory over Tamil Nadu in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25. The match, held at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, saw Pandya deliver a game-changing performance that left the opposition reeling.

Despite not having the best outing with the ball, Pandya stole the show with a destructive knock, particularly in an over against Tamil Nadu pacer Gurjapneet Singh. Pandya smashed 29 runs off the over, including three consecutive sixes, a no-ball, and a free-hit maximum, pushing Baroda into the driver's seat during a steep chase.

Pandya's Game-Changing Over

Chasing a formidable target of 222 set by Tamil Nadu, Baroda found themselves under pressure. However, Hardik Pandya’s counter-attack in the 17th over changed the momentum of the game. Facing left-arm pacer Gurjapneet Singh, Pandya began the over with a hat-trick of sixes. A no-ball followed, which Pandya dispatched for another six on the free hit. He continued the assault with a boundary, before taking a single to finish the over, collecting 30 runs (29 off the bat and 1 from the no-ball).

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Batting first, Tamil Nadu posted a daunting total of 221/6 on the board, thanks to contributions from Narayan Jagadeesan (57), Shahrukh Khan (39), and Vijay Shankar (42). The team looked set for a comfortable win, but Pandya's brilliance with the bat turned the tables.

Athith Seth's Last-Ball Heroics

The match went down to the wire, with Baroda needing 4 runs off the final ball. In a tense finish, Athith Seth held his nerve and struck a boundary on the last delivery to secure a thrilling win for his team. Pandya's heroics aside, Bhanu Pania also played a key role in the chase, contributing a quickfire 42 off 20 balls to keep Baroda in the hunt.