Shreyas Iyer made a triumphant return to competitive cricket, leading Mumbai to a narrow victory over Himachal Pradesh in the 2025–26 Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Shreyas Iyer marked a successful return to competitive cricket after a three-month hiatus, guiding Mumbai to a narrow seven-run victory over Himachal Pradesh in a Group C clash of the 2025–26 Vijay Hazare Trophy in Jaipur on Tuesday. This win confirmed Mumbai’s qualification for the quarter-finals with a round to spare, underscoring their dominance in the group stage.
Playing his first competitive match since October, Iyer led the side in the absence of regular captain Shardul Thakur and delivered a captain’s knock under pressure. In a match reduced to 33 overs per side due to dense morning fog, the right-hander top-scored with a fluent 82 runs off just 53 balls, striking 10 fours and three sixes to anchor Mumbai’s innings.
Iyer’s innings was notable not just for its timing, but also for the control he exhibited after a long break from match action. He stitched together two crucial partnerships: an 82-run stand with young Musheer Khan and a 65-run alliance with Suryakumar Yadav, ensuring Mumbai capitalized on the shortened format.
All three of Iyer’s sixes came on the off side, with two dispatched confidently off left-arm spinner Kushal Pal. His aggressive yet composed approach helped Mumbai recover from early setbacks and build towards a competitive total.
Eventually, Mumbai posted 299 for 9 in their allotted 33 overs, a formidable target under any circumstances, especially in a reduced contest. Musheer Khan contributed a valuable 73 runs, while Himachal Pradesh’s Abhishek Arora was the most successful bowler, finishing with figures of 3 for 63.
Chasing an adjusted target of 300, Himachal Pradesh mounted a spirited response. Pukhraj Mann and Mayank Dagar played identical innings of 64, keeping their side in contention deep into the chase. However, Mumbai’s bowlers held their nerve in the closing overs to restrict the opposition to 292 all out in 32.4 overs.
Shivam Dube starred with the ball for Mumbai, claiming 4 for 68, as the defending champions sealed a tense seven-run victory. Iyer is set to feature again when Mumbai faces Punjab in their final group match on January 8.
In other matches of the tournament, Hyderabad delivered one of the most emphatic performances of the season in a Group B encounter at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. Opener Aman Rao produced a breathtaking innings of 200 runs off 154 balls, powering Hyderabad to a comprehensive 107-run win over Bengal.
Rao’s marathon knock was laced with 12 boundaries and 13 towering sixes, showcasing both power and endurance. His innings laid the foundation for Hyderabad’s imposing total of 352 for 7 in 50 overs. Gahlaut Singh provided solid support with a composed 65, while Mohammed Shami was Bengal’s standout bowler, finishing with 3 for 70.
In reply, Bengal struggled to keep pace with the asking rate despite a valiant effort from Shahbaz Ahmed, who scored a well-crafted 108 off 113 balls. Sudip Kumar Gharami added 59, but the required rate proved too steep.
Hyderabad’s bowling attack was led by Mohammed Siraj, who returned figures of 4 for 58 in his 10 overs, including two crucial wickets in the powerplay. Bengal were eventually bowled out for 245 in 44.4 overs, handing Hyderabad a commanding victory.
In another Group B clash in Rajkot, Vidarbha suffered a 54-run defeat to Uttar Pradesh despite a magnificent individual effort from Aman Mokhade. The right-hander continued his rich vein of form with a sublime 147 runs off 117 balls, but his innings ultimately went in vain.
Chasing a stiff target of 286, Mokhade found support from wicketkeeper-batter Akshay Wadkar, who contributed a brisk 51 runs off 47 balls. The pair kept Vidarbha in the hunt, but Mokhade’s dismissal in the 40th over proved to be the turning point of the match.
Uttar Pradesh’s bowling attack, spearheaded by Kuldeep Yadav, tightened the screws in the latter half of the innings. Kuldeep finished with figures of 3 for 52, while Vipraj Nigam chipped in with 2 for 56 to ensure Vidarbha were restricted to 285 for 9 in their 50 overs.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh posted a competitive 339 for 5, built around a century from Abhishek Goswami (103) and a solid 67 from Aryan Garg.
Several other matches across groups added to an action-packed day in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. In Group A at Ahmedabad, Jharkhand edged past Madhya Pradesh by three wickets after successfully chasing down 278 in 47.4 overs.
In Group B at Rajkot, Baroda put on a commanding display to beat their opponents by 76 runs after scoring 332 in their 50 overs. Group C action in Jaipur saw Punjab register a six-wicket win over Goa, comfortably chasing a target of 212.
Meanwhile, in Group D at Bengaluru, Gujarat delivered a dominant performance, crushing Odisha by 233 runs after bowling them out for just 100 in response to a mammoth total of 333 for 6.
As the group stage of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 enters its decisive phase, performances like Shreyas Iyer’s comeback knock and Aman Rao’s double century have added excitement and intensity to India’s premier domestic one-day competition, according to Global Net News.