HYDERABAD, Dec 4 — Hardik Pandya’s return to competitive cricket sparked such intense fan excitement that organizers were forced to move the Baroda–Gujarat Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match to a larger venue.
The game, originally scheduled for the Gymkhana Ground, was relocated to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, a site known for hosting major international matches and IPL games. The stadium offers stronger security infrastructure and far greater crowd capacity, making it necessary for an event drawing this level of attention.
Officials said the decision followed unusually large crowds gathering near team hotels, practice facilities, and ticket counters — numbers far beyond what domestic tournaments typically see. In Baroda’s previous match against Punjab, play was interrupted multiple times because fans stormed the field to get close to Hardik.
Organizers said the surge was driven entirely by fans eager to watch Hardik Pandya. “The enthusiasm for Hardik Pandya is unbelievable. Fan turnout, inquiries, and crowd movement exceeded our projections by a huge margin. To ensure safety and smooth operations, we decided to shift the match to Rajiv Gandhi Stadium,” a senior official said.
Hardik returned to action on Tuesday after a long injury layoff and smashed an unbeaten 77 off 42 balls as Baroda chased down a 223-run target against Punjab for their second straight win in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
He had been sidelined since suffering an injury during India’s Asia Cup Super Fours match against Sri Lanka. The allrounder missed the ODI and T20I series against Australia and was unavailable for the ongoing 50-over series against South Africa.
After completing rehabilitation at the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru and receiving Return to Play clearance, Hardik joined Baroda for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where the team is led by his brother Krunal Pandya.
On Thursday, Baroda defeated Gujarat by eight wickets in an Elite Group C matchup, securing their third win in five games to move to the top of the table. Gujarat, also with three wins, sits second with a lower net run rate.
After choosing to bowl first, Baroda bowled out Gujarat for 70, with Raj Limbani taking 3 for 5. Baroda chased the target in 6.4 overs, losing only two wickets. (Source: IANS)
