Hardik Pandya recalls fond memories of playing in the 2015/16 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

Hardik Pandya recently looked back at one of his game-changing knocks from the 2015/16 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The Indian all-rounder turned up for Baroda in the competition and played multiple match-winning innings during that particular season.

One of them came against the Vidarbha cricket team in Mumbai. Batting first, Vidarbha posted 162/5 on the board, riding on Ganesh Satish’s half-century. In reply, Baroda lost a few early wickets and were down to 64/3 in 10.1 overs.

Hardik Pandya came out to bat at number three. After settling in the middle, he launched an all-out attack on the Vidarbha bowlers. Pandya formed an 83-run partnership with Irfan Pathan, in which the latter contributed only 26 runs.

Pandya smashed three fours and eight sixes in his unbeaten 46-ball knock of 86 runs. He finished things off in style with a maximum towards the leg-side. The Baroda Cricket Association posted a video of Hardik’s winning shot from that match on Instagram today. The man himself reshared it through a story and wrote:

“Memories from 2016 have come rushing back.”

Hardik Pandya was the highest run-scorer for Baroda in that year’s competition. He scored 377 runs in ten innings, smashing three half-centuries. The all-rounder also took ten wickets with the ball and guided Baroda to the summit clash of the event. Unfortunately, Baroda lost to Uttar Pradesh in the final.

Hardik Pandya made his T20I debut soon after the 2015/16 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

The 2015/16 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy ended on January 20, 2016. Just six days later, Hardik Pandya received his maiden T20I cap against Australia. Hardik impressed in the series against the Aussies and later represented the nation in the Asia Cup as well as the ICC T20 World Cup.

With the 2021 T20 World Cup set to take place later this year, Indian fans will hope that Pandya performs the way he did for Baroda in the 2015/16 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

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