Virat Kohli hit a fluent half-century to shine in Delhi’s win against Gujarat.
| Photo Credit: K.MURALI KUMAR
Virat Kohli scored a stroke-filled half-century (77, 61b, 13×4, 1×6) as Delhi defeated Gujarat by seven runs for its second successive win in the Vijay Hazare Trophy at the BCCI Centre of Excellence here on Friday.
The result in Elite Group-D was also the first time this edition a side defended a total successfully in Bengaluru. All four matches in the first round and three of four in the second were won by the team that opted to field.
That Delhi could manage it was down to some tight bowling by the likes of Ishant Sharma (6-0-28-2), Prince Yadav (8.4-1-37-3) and Harsh Tyagi (5-1-13-0).
Chasing 255, Gujarat was well-placed at 121 for one and more than 25 overs remaining. But the Chintan Gaja-led outfit lost wickets in clusters more than once to squander the advantage.
From 121 for one, it fell to 125 for four. From 213 for five, it lost two set batters in Saurav Chauhan (49, 43b, 5×4, 2×6) and Vishal B. Jayswal (26, 19b, 1×4, 2×6). And from 240 for seven, skipper Gaja (12, 17b), A.R. Desai (12, 10b) and Ravi Bishnoi (7, 8b) fell within seven runs of each other to hand Rishabh Pant’s men the victory.
Kohli caught Bishnoi at cover off Prince to draw the curtains, bookending his fruitful two-match stay in this season’s tournament in fine fashion.
Earlier, it was the former India skipper’s impressive innings that had laid the foundation for Delhi. On a nippy morning, Kohli was at his imperious best, and was aided in no small measure by some ordinary bowling.
He reached his half-century from just 29 balls, and it contained as many as ten fours and a six, with the majestic on-drive off Arzan Nagwaswalla the best of the lot.
Rishabh Pant scored 70 to drag Delhi to a competitive score.
| Photo Credit:
K. MURALI KUMAR
Pant, whose white-ball fortunes have nosedived in recent times, made a patient 70 (79b, 8×4, 2×6) to drag Delhi to a competitive total which ultimately proved match-winning.
At the Alur grounds, important knocks from Ricky Bhui (76, 74b, 7×4, 3×6) and captain Nitish Kumar (55 n.o., 41b, 3×4, 2×6) provided Andhra the impetus to chase down a 267-run target and record a convincing six-wicket win – its first of the campaign – over Railways.
The scores: Delhi 254/9 in 50 overs (Virat Kohli 77, Rishabh Pant 70, Harsh Tyagi 40, Vishal B. Jayswal 4/42) bt Gujarat 247 in 47.4 overs (Aarya Desai 57, Saurav Chauhan 49); Toss: Gujarat.
Railways 266/9 in 50 overs (Ansh Yadav 59, Ravi Singh 76, Zeeshan Ali Khan 48) lost to Andhra 271/4 in 44.4 overs (Shaikh Rasheed 40, Ricky Bhui 76, Nitish Kumar 55 n.o., M. Hemanth Reddy 41 n.o.); Toss: Andhra.
Saurashtra 253 in 48.1 overs (Harvik Desai 101, Gajjar Sammar 83) lost to Haryana 256/4 in 39 overs (Yashvardhan Dalal 164 n.o., Parth Vats 67); Toss: Haryana.
Services 83 in 21.5 overs (Rajesh Mohanty 4/25, Sambit S. Baral 4/21) lost to Odisha 84/6 in 24.3 overs (Poonam Poonia 4/27); Toss: Odisha.
Published – December 26, 2025 09:28 pm IST
