Hyderabad
Hardik Pandya’s return to cricket has created such huge excitement among fans that the Baroda–Gujarat Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match had to be moved to a larger stadium. The game, first planned at the smaller Gymkhana Ground, was shifted to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, which is better prepared for big crowds and stronger security needs.
Officials said the change became necessary after huge groups of fans gathered near team hotels, practice areas, and ticket counters. In Baroda’s last match against Punjab, play was stopped many times because fans ran onto the field to meet Hardik. Organisers said all the buzz was mainly for the star all-rounder, whose popularity has grown even more after his long break from the sport.
One senior official said that interest in Hardik crossed all expectations, with crowd numbers and enquiries rising far beyond normal domestic cricket levels. Moving the match, they said, was the only way to maintain safety and smooth operations.
Hardik returned to action on Tuesday after months of recovery and impressed immediately by scoring an unbeaten 77 off 42 balls, helping Baroda chase 223 against Punjab. He had been away from the game since suffering an injury during the Asia Cup Super Fours match against Sri Lanka, which ruled him out of several international series.
After receiving fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, Hardik joined Baroda, led by his brother Krunal Pandya, for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
On Thursday, Baroda beat Gujarat by eight wickets in an Elite Group C match, marking their third win in five games. Gujarat also have three wins but trail Baroda because of a lower net run rate.
