Ravi Bishnoi broke into his trademark celebration, spreading his arms wide, and Hardik Pandya playfully joined in before giving him a hug.
Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya delivered yet another strong performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, further lifting his confidence ahead of the upcoming T20I series against South Africa. After making an impact with the bat against Punjab, the all-rounder showcased his bowling skills on Thursday as Baroda faced Gujarat in Hyderabad. The seasoned campaigner sent down a miserly four-over spell, conceding only 16 runs and removing Gujarat captain and opener Urvil Patel at a key moment. His discipline, control, and ability to build pressure underlined the form he has steadily been building in the tournament.
Hardik’s showing was also a timely boost for the Indian camp ahead of the upcoming T20I series. With the current ODI bowling unit leaking runs in the first two games against South Africa, his sharp, disciplined spell in the SMAT came as a welcome reassurance for a side searching for stability and experience in the attack.
Meanwhile, a light-hearted moment from Pandya’s innings also went viral on social media during Baroda’s modest 74-run chase on Thursday. Looking to wrap up the match quickly, the all-rounder attempted a big hit off Ravi Bishnoi but ended up holing out to Arzan Nagwaswalla. Bishnoi broke into his trademark celebration, spreading his arms wide, and Hardik playfully joined in before giving him a hug, a gesture that instantly struck a chord online and had fans buzzing. He departed for 10, but it didn’t cause much of a problem for his team.
Hardik Pandya & Ravi Bishnoi cute moment🥰
Bishnoi took the wicket of HP and they hugged🫂
pic.twitter.com/88IfFhRLdS— Rohan Gangta (@rohangangta) December 4, 2025
Baroda comfortably won the match by 8 wickets in just 6.4 overs, stamping their authority over Gujarat, who failed to match their intensity.
