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Rishabh Pant's Blazing 67 Powers Delhi to Dominant Vijay Hazare Trophy Victory

Rishabh Pant announced his return to form with a blistering, unbeaten 67 from just 37 deliveries, steering Delhi to a commanding eight-wicket victory over Services. His explosive innings, featuring six sixes, formed a match-winning 85-run stand with opener Priyansh Arya, who remained not out on 72. The win was set up by Delhi's bowlers, with Harshit Rana and Prince Yadav sharing seven wickets to restrict Services to 178. In another match, Arshdeep Singh's five-wicket haul helped Punjab demolish Sikkim by 10 wickets.

Key Points: Pant's 67* Leads Delhi to 8-Wicket Win in Vijay Hazare Trophy

  • Pant's timely 67* off 37 balls
  • Delhi chase 179 in 19.4 overs
  • Priyansh Arya's 72* supports Pant
  • Arshdeep Singh's 5-34 for Punjab
2 min read

VHT: Skipper Pant's unbeaten 67 propels Delhi to eight-wicket win over Services

Rishabh Pant smashes an unbeaten 67 off 37 balls, leading Delhi to an emphatic 8-wicket win over Services in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

VHT: Skipper Pant's unbeaten 67 propels Delhi to eight-wicket win over Services
"Captain Pant's explosive knock, laced with four boundaries and six maximums... - Match Report"

Bengaluru, Jan 3

India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant struck an unbeaten 67 off 37 balls to lead Delhi to a commanding eight-wicket victory over Services in the 2025/26 Vijay Hazare Trophy game at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2 on Saturday.

Captain Pant's explosive knock, laced with four boundaries and six maximums, comes on the day when the national selectors are due to announce India's squad for the upcoming three-game ODI series against New Zealand, starting on January 11 in Vadodara.

Delhi's bowlers set up the win's foundation by dismissing Services for 178 in 42.5 overs. Seam bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana claimed 4-47 runs while pacer Prince Yadav took 3-28. In reply, Delhi romped home in just 19.4 overs with left-handed opener Priyansh Arya smashing 72 not out off 45 deliveries, studded with nine fours and three sixes.

Despite losing Sarthak Ranjan (4) and Nitish Rana (32), Arya and Pant shared a match-winning 85-run partnership off 51 balls that sealed Delhi's dominant victory. Pulkit Narang and Nitin Yadav picked up a wicket apiece for Services but were unable to stem the flow of runs as Delhi reached home easily.

Meanwhile, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh captured his third five-wicket haul in List A cricket as Punjab thrashed Sikkim by 10 wickets at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground in Jaipur. Arshdeep returned with figures of 5-34 from 10 overs as Sikkim were bowled out for just 75 in 22.2 overs.

Punjab's decision to field first paid immediate dividends, though Shubman Gill was unavailable at the last moment due to food poisoning. Sukhdeep Bajwa removed openers Amit Rajera and Ashish Thapa before Arshdeep tore through the middle order with a devastating five-for, while leg-spinner Mayank Markande mopped up the tail.

The modest target proved to be no obstacle for Punjab's openers, who completed the chase in just 6.2 overs. Prabhsimran Singh hammered 53 off 26 balls with seven fours and two sixes, while Harnoor Singh remained unbeaten on 21.

Brief Scores: Services 178 all out in 42.5 overs (Vikas Hathwala 26, Raj Bahadur Pal 25; Harshit Rana 4-47, Prince Yadav 3-28) lost to Delhi 182/2 in 19.4 overs (Priyansh Arya 72, Rishabh Pant 67 not out; Pulkit Narang 1-34, Nitin Yadav 1-41) by eight wickets

Sikkim 75 all out in 22.2 overs (Palzor 13; Arshdeep Singh 5-34) lost to Punjab 81/0 in 6.2 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 53 not out, Harnoor Singh 22 not out) by ten wickets

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Brilliant all-round performance by Delhi! Harshit Rana and Prince Yadav set it up beautifully with the ball. And Priyansh Arya's 72* was equally important. Good to see the domestic circuit producing such talent. The future looks bright.
A
Arjun K
While Pant's innings was fantastic, let's not forget Arshdeep Singh's fifer for Punjab! He's been so consistent. Our pace bowling depth is amazing right now. Bumrah, Siraj, Shami, and now Arshdeep waiting in the wings. What a time to be an Indian cricket fan!
S
Sarah B
The gulf between the teams seems quite large. Sikkim all out for 75 and Punjab chasing it in 6.2 overs? While it's great for player confidence, the BCCI might need to look at the competitiveness in the plate group. A one-sided tournament isn't good for anyone.
V
Vikram M
Pant's timing is perfect, yaar. Selectors meeting today and he plays a blinder. That's how you demand your place back. His keeping looked sharp in the highlights too. Welcome back, champion!
K
Karthik V
Prabhsimran Singh's 53 off 26 balls! He's another exciting keeper-batter. The competition for the wicketkeeper's spot is heating up, with KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Jitesh Sharma, and now Pant returning. A good headache for the team management.

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