Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25: Top five impactful performances from first five games of the domestic 50-overs tournament.
The 32nd edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy is nearing its climax as the tournament moves toward the knockout stage in just a few days. Several teams have showcased exceptional performances, with Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Vidarbha standing out as they remain unbeaten even after playing four or more matches.
Here, we highlight some of the outstanding individual performances from the five rounds of games played so far.
Mayank Agarwal (Karnataka) - 139* vs Punjab
Mayank Agarwal has endured a challenging couple of months leading up to the Vijay Hazare Trophy. After going unsold at the IPL 2025 auctions and struggling in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Agarwal has staged a remarkable turnaround in the VHT. He has emerged as the second-highest run-getter in the tournament with 428 runs, trailing only his former teammate Karun Nair, who has scored 430 in four innings.
Agarwal’s stunning run of form began against Punjab in Ahmedabad, where he anchored the innings through a middle-order collapse to secure a nail-biting victory for his team. Struggling at 203/9 in the 40th over of Karnataka's chase of 248, Mayank played a heroic knock to guide his side to a sensational win.
The discarded India opener didn’t stop there, smashing back-to-back centuries in the subsequent games, including a blistering 45-ball hundred against Nagaland. With a hat-trick of tons, it’s safe to say that Mayank Agarwal has made a triumphant return, delivering a strong statement with his performances.
Arshdeep Singh (Punjab) - 5/38 vs Mumbai
In a tournament dominated by high scores, it was Arshdeep Singh who stole the spotlight with the ball. The left-arm pacer dismantled a strong Mumbai batting lineup featuring India internationals like Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shivam Dube. Arshdeep also dismissed the talented young openers Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Ayush Mhatre, along with the aforementioned trio, reducing Mumbai to a precarious 61/6.
Although the 2024-25 SMAT champions managed to recover and post 248, Arshdeep's fiery opening spell had already inflicted significant damage. Punjab comfortably chased down the target, winning by 8 wickets with 21 overs to spare. Arshdeep's exceptional form is an encouraging sign for Team India as they prepare for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Krishnan Shrijith (Karnataka) - 150* vs Mumbai
In a tournament like the Vijay Hazare Trophy, new talent often emerges, and one of the standout performances in the group stages came from the relatively unknown Krishnan Shrijith.
The Karnataka wicketkeeper-batter showcased his brilliance by helping his team chase down a mammoth target of 383 runs against a formidable Mumbai bowling attack. On a batting-friendly surface, Shrijith, who was recently picked by the Mumbai Indians in the 2025 IPL, gave a glimpse of his immense talent.
Coming in at 106/2 in the 15th over, the 28-year-old rose to the occasion and dismantled an experienced Mumbai attack featuring the likes of Shardul Thakur, Shivam Dube, and Tanush Kotian. Shrijith smashed a scintillating 150 off just 101 balls and, most impressively, stayed unbeaten to see his team through to victory.
Abhishek Sharma (Punjab) - 170 vs Saurashtra
The young left-hander is quickly establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with in white-ball cricket. After a standout IPL 2024 season, Abhishek Sharma began his international T20 career with a bang, notching up a couple of swashbuckling 50+ scores for India at the highest level.
He has carried that momentum into the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he has amassed an impressive 306 runs in just five matches at a remarkable strike rate of 146.15.
A key highlight of his tournament so far was the game against Saurashtra in Ahmedabad. Batting first, Abhishek and Prabhsimran Singh formed a dynamic opening partnership, putting on a staggering 298 runs for the first wicket in just 186 balls. While Prabhsimran scored a stunning 125 off 95 balls, Abhishek outshone him with a blistering 170 off just 96 deliveries.
The duo hit eight sixes each as Punjab posted a mammoth total of 424/5 in a high-scoring affair. In response, Saurashtra fell short by 57 runs, unable to match Punjab’s batting brilliance.
Darshan Nalkande - 6/55 and Karun Nair - 111* (Vidarbha) vs Tamil Nadu
Vidarbha maintained their perfect record in this Vijay Hazare Trophy with a comfortable six-wicket victory over Tamil Nadu. Despite a decent start by Tamil Nadu, Vidarbha staged a strong comeback in the middle overs, with pacer Darshan Nalkande dismantling the top order by picking up three key wickets—Pradosh Paul, Baba Inderjith, and Tushar Raheja.
Nalkande continued his impressive spell in the death overs, claiming three more wickets to restrict Tamil Nadu to a modest total of 256. Chasing 257, Vidarbha's innings was anchored by the experienced Karun Nair, who is currently enjoying a rich vein of form. The right-hander, who had already impressed in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, remained unbeaten on 111, steering Vidarbha to their fourth consecutive win with more than six overs to spare.
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