Delhi's unbeaten run in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy came to a grinding halt on Wednesday, courtesy of a comprehensive 79-run defeat against Odisha in a fourth-round Group D encounter. The much-anticipated clash saw a collective failure from Delhi's senior batters, including skipper Rishabh Pant, whose struggles with the bat persisted at a crucial juncture.
Odisha's Commanding Total Sets the Stage
Opting to bat first at the KL Saini Ground in Jaipur, Odisha found themselves in a spot of bother early on, losing three wickets before reaching the 100-run mark. However, captain Biplab Samantray steadied the ship with a composed 72 off 74 balls. His innings provided the platform for the lower order to launch a late assault, pushing the total to a competitive 272 for 8 in their 50 overs.
For Delhi, the spin of Hrithik Shokeen was the most effective weapon. The off-spinner returned excellent figures of 4 for 27 from his full quota of 10 overs, keeping the Odisha batters in check during the middle phase. India bowlers Navdeep Saini and Nitish Rana were also part of the Delhi attack but couldn't prevent Odisha from posting a challenging score.
Delhi's Batting Line-Up Collapses Spectacularly
In response, Delhi's chase never gained momentum. The innings began disastrously as openers Priyansh Arya and Sarthak Ranjan were back in the pavilion with the scoreboard reading a dismal 6 for 2. All eyes were on Rishabh Pant, with national selectors set to pick the ODI squad for the New Zealand series soon. However, the wicketkeeper-batter could only manage 24 runs from 28 deliveries before being dismissed by pacer Debabrata Pradhan.
Pant's departure triggered a full-scale collapse, reducing Delhi to 55 for 5. The middle order offered little resistance against the disciplined Odisha bowling attack. Pacers Debabrata Pradhan (3/28) and young Sambit Baral (3/34) were the chief destroyers, exploiting the pressure situation expertly. Some late defiance from Harsh Tyagi (43) and Hrithik Shokeen (32) only delayed the inevitable as Delhi were bowled out for 193 in 43.3 overs.
Tournament Standings Shake-Up and Implications
This defeat has significant ramifications for the Group D points table. Odisha moved to the top with 12 points and a superior net run rate. Delhi, who also have 12 points, slipped down to fourth position, with Railways and Haryana moving ahead on the basis of a better net run rate. This was the first time this season that Delhi failed to cross the 200-run mark, highlighting the scale of the batting failure.
The loss breaks Delhi's pattern of relying on one standout batting performance per match, seen earlier with Virat Kohli's century against Andhra and Priyansh Arya's 78 against Saurashtra. For Rishabh Pant, this outing adds to a modest tournament tally that now reads 5, 70, 22, and 24. With the national selection on the horizon, his form will be a point of discussion. The defeat serves as a stark reminder of the team's over-reliance on individual brilliance and could impact their campaign in the knockout stages.
