He scored 119 runs off 143 balls, hitting 15 fours and four sixes.
A veteran Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) star gave a testament to his prowess and raised his stocks ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) retention deadline on October 31 with a magnificent ton in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024-25.
LSG all-rounder and Baroda skipper Krunal Pandya scored 119 runs off 143 balls, hitting 15 fours and four sixes in the Round 3 match of the premier domestic tournament against Odisha.
Following the knock, Krunal’s brother and Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya heaped plaudits on social media.
Hardik expressed his pride for his brother and wrote on his Instagram story,
“Leading from the front my brother! Top, top 100. Credit to all your hard work.”
While it is unlikely that Krunal will be retained by LSG for the next season, his recent ton will definitely back his case in the IPL 2025 mega-auction.
ALSO READ: Injury and rehab pulls down progress of India’s latest talent after missing out on Australia tour
Speaking about the match, Odisha opted to bat first but struggled from the start and lost half their lineup with just 73 runs on the board. Biplab Samantray (58) and wicketkeeper Aasirwad Swain (37) managed to offer some resistance. Mahesh Pithiya was the top performer with the ball for Baroda, securing five wickets to dismiss Odisha for a total of 193.
In Baroda’s innings, Shivalik Sharma (96 off 209 balls) and Vishnu Solanki (98 off 190 balls) narrowly missed out on centuries. However, captain Krunal Pandya made an impressive 119 off 143 balls, leading Baroda to a strong total of 456 and a commanding lead of 263 runs. Govinda Poddar claimed five wickets for Odisha.
In Odisha’s second innings, Baroda’s bowlers maintained the pressure with consistent breakthroughs. Anurag Sarangi contributed 49 runs off 62 balls, while Kartik Biswal remained unbeaten with a quickfire 53 off just 26 balls.
With limited support from other batters, Odisha was bowled out for 165, resulting in a defeat by an innings and 98 runs. Ninad Rathva shone for Baroda with the ball, taking six wickets in the innings.
For more updates, follow Cricxtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram and YouTube.
