Uttar Pradesh secured a commanding 54-run victory against Baroda in a high-scoring Vijay Hazare Trophy (List A) encounter in Rajkot on Monday, driven by a spectacular century from wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Chand Jurel.
Jurel's Masterclass Sets Up Mammoth Total
Put in to bat first, Uttar Pradesh posted a formidable 369 for 7 in their 50 overs. The innings was built around a scintillating, unbeaten knock of 160 runs by Dhruv Chand Jurel, who faced just 101 deliveries. His innings was a display of pure power-hitting, laced with 15 fours and 8 sixes.
UP's innings saw several key partnerships. Openers Abhishek Goswami (51) and Aryan Juyal (26) provided a steady start with a 77-run stand. After a brief stumble, Jurel combined with captain Rinku Singh for a crucial 131-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Rinku contributed a valuable 63 off 67 balls. Later, Jurel unleashed a late assault with Prashant Veer (35 off 23 balls), adding a blistering 122 runs in just 52 balls for the sixth wicket to push the total beyond reach.
Baroda's Valiant Chase Falls Short
In response, Baroda fought gallantly but were eventually bowled out for 315 in 50 overs, falling 54 runs short. Their chase was anchored by a solid start from openers Shashwat Rawat (60) and Shivalik Sharma (30), who put on 72 runs.
The middle order offered strong resistance, particularly through a 95-run partnership between captain Krunal Pandya and Vishnu Solanki. Pandya led from the front with a fighting 82 off 77 balls, while Solanki scored a quickfire 46 off just 28 deliveries. However, regular wickets and mounting required rate proved too much for the lower order.
The UP bowling attack shared the spoils effectively. Zeeshan Ansari was the pick with 3 for 53, while Sameer Rizvi (2/43) and Vipraj Nigam (2/67) provided important breakthroughs. Captain Rinku Singh and Prashant Veer also chipped in with a wicket each.
Coach Kapoor Lauds Batting Unit
Following the victory, Uttar Pradesh coach Arvind Kapoor praised his team's batting performance. He highlighted the consistency of the unit in crossing the 350-run mark and specifically commended the match-winning contributions from Jurel, Rinku Singh, and Prashant Veer in setting up another dominant total.
Brief Scores: Uttar Pradesh 369/7 in 50 overs (Dhruv Chand Jurel 160*, Rinku Singh 63, Abhishek Goswami 51; Raj Limbani 4/74) beat Baroda 315 all out in 50 overs (Krunal Pandya 82, Shashwat Rawat 60, Vishnu Solanki 46; Zeeshan Ansari 3/53, Sameer Rizvi 2/43) by 54 runs.
