Watch: Hardik Pandya smashes five sixes in one over

Dubai: India all-rounder Hardik Pandya produced a blistering display for Baroda, smashing five sixes and a boundary in a single over against Vidarbha during their Vijay Hazare Trophy clash on Saturday.

Pandya’s explosive 133 off 93 balls — studded with 11 sixes and eight fours — rescued Baroda from a precarious position. After slumping to 71 for five and later 136 for six, his counter-attacking knock propelled the team to a competitive 293 for nine in their allotted 50 overs.

Batting as low as No 7 in his first match of the tournament, Pandya came out firing and brought up his maiden List A century in his 119th appearance. His innings was a timely reminder of his finishing ability and power-hitting prowess under pressure.

Despite Pandya’s heroics, Vidarbha made light work of the chase, reaching the target in just 41.4 overs. Aman Mokhade starred with a superb 150 not out off 121 balls, while Dhruv Shorey chipped in with a solid 65.

The century was a long-awaited milestone for the flamboyant all-rounder, who chose the perfect stage to steady a collapsing innings while maintaining a high strike rate. His knock stood out as a masterclass in modern limited-overs batting.

The highlight came in the 39th over, when Pandya tore into left-arm spinner Parth Rekhade for 34 runs, clobbering five sixes and a four. The first five deliveries disappeared over the ropes, with the final ball driven to the boundary, sending the crowd into raptures. Pandya scored just 31 singles in his innings, preferring to dominate with the big hits — most of them launched over midwicket and long-on, with a few sailing over long-off — underlining his immense power and reach.