Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26: Uttar Pradesh’s spin trio proves too good for Hyderabad

Uttar Pradesh (UP) began its Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025 campaign with an 84-run win over Hyderabad at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Wednesday, thanks to its spin trio.

List-A debutants Zeeshan Ansari (four for 31) and Prashant Veer (three for 47), along with Vipraj Nigam, effected a middle-over chokehold with the ball after a collective effort from the top order had helped UP post 324 for five in its 50 overs. 

Hyderabad’s batting mainstay Tanmay Agarwal (53, 43b, 9×4, 2×6) and skipper Rahul Singh Gahlaut’s 94-run second-wicket association, which included a rapid start in the PowerPlay, threatened to take the game away from UP. Tanmay took full toll of the wide lines bowled by the pacers, bringing up his fifty off just 33 balls.

The game turned on its head after the introduction of leg-spin. Gahlaut was beaten on the outside edge on more than one occasion by Nigam and Ansari, eventually holing out to deep midwicket off the latter, looking for a release shot. Rahul Buddhi’s slow start deflected the pressure onto Tanmay, who fell immediately after, feathering one to the keeper off Nigam. 

The quick start allowed Buddhi and Varun Goud to take their time in the middle without worrying about the required rate. Buddhi accelerated after being set, using his power to good effect to collect four boundaries against the spinners. His innings was cut short on 47 when he top-edged an attempted sweep against Ansari. The lower order failed to match up to the onerous task at hand, as Hyderabad was shut out for 240.

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Earlier, after being put into bat, the Uttar Pradesh openers provided a sedate yet resolute start. The ball kept low from full length on the surface, which seemed flat and hard at the outset, testing the defensive technique of the batters. Abhishek Goswami (81, 81b, 10×4, 1×6) started brisker of the two, putting away to the leg-side boundary anything short on offer from the Hyderabad pacers.

The runs came more freely after the introduction of the all-rounders. After Arfaz Ahmed conceded at 6.67 runs per over in his first spell, leg-spinner Varun was brought in, but he too was taken for three fours in his second over by Goswami. Aryan Juyal (80, 96b, 9×4, 1×6), despite being more measured in his approach, used his feet well against spinners to keep up the scoring rate after Goswami fell against the run of play after a 152-run opening stand. 

Juyal fell one run short of his opening partner’s score, miscuing an attempted lofted shot after he failed to get to the pitch. Notwithstanding the platform set by the openers and the finishing acumen in the middle order, Uttar Pradesh failed to engage top gear. Dhruv Jurel (80, 61b, 4×4, 4×6) and Rinku Singh (67, 48b, 6×4, 2×6) were made to work hard for their runs, relying on smart running between the wickets during their 87-run stand. 

The short-of-a-length ploy, including change of pace deliveries, against the India internationals kept them quiet for a while before Jurel adjusted to access the boundaries square of the wicket on either side. He eventually fell on one such attempt, handing Arfaz his second wicket. Rinku’s ability to pull the ball through midwicket, coupled with a few slot balls dished out at the death, helped him accumulate 57 in the last five overs to take the team to 324, which proved adequate at the end. 

Published on Dec 24, 2025